Heroic Potential
by DarkSoulMan
Summary: After reluctantly learning how to play the game of Duel Monsters, newbie duelist Josh Kindling eventually accepts it as a fun new hobby. But once he accepts it, he accepts the dangers as well.
1. Prologue

**Heroic Potential**

**Prologue**

Heavy weights lifted as he drearily opened his eyes. Nothing could be seen and his senses were jumbled; the sounds echoed around his ears but none of them were clear. His body felt as if it had been trampled, and he felt a sharp pain ripping through both of his arms. Something tugged down onto his arm, when he looked he saw some kind of contraption attached. Then he noticed he was holding something – a couple of cards in his left hand. He starred at them, unable to decipher the blurs beyond their green borders.

Noticing he was on his knees, he weakly rose to his feet as he examined the cards, slowly remembering where he was and why he was here. After stumbling a bit, he brought his left arm up to his chest, bringing the contraption with it. In a small slot there was a thin deck placed directly over his wrist. Lightly touching the top card, he took a deep breath to prevent himself from shaking. This would be his last draw. He yanked the card out and flames consumed him.

* * *

><p>Smoke shot out from the wood as the embers smoldered. Shadows covered the room, with only the light from a small antique lamp fending them off. A man sat alone in his longue chair reading a book carefully. He crossed his legs and repositioned himself in his longue chair as he turned the page. After skimming through another paragraph, he burst into obnoxious laughter.<p>

"Oh Funny Bunny," the man chuckled, moving his long pale-blue hair away from the pages, "you never disappoint me." He closed the book, placing it on the nightstand next to him and watched the ashes fall from the charcoal. He enjoyed nights like this – a quiet evening in his den beside the fireplace. Staring up at the ceiling, he smiled to himself cherishing the stories he had just read.

A blaring ring snapped him out of his peaceful mood. His attention shot across the room at his desk. The phone was ringing. He jumped up adjusting his bathrobe has he stomped towards it.

When he arrived at his destination, he grasped the phone, shoving it into his right ear. "What is it! You know I don't like to be bothered on my night off!" He turned back towards the fireplace listening to the mumbles on the other line, "Speak up! I can't understand a word you're saying."

He sat on top of his desk, moving the sign which read 'Maximillion Pegasus – President of Industrial Illusions' out of his way. The person on the phone was rambling pointlessly and Pegasus was losing his patience.

"I'm hanging up!" A shout could be heard followed by several pleas in quick succession. Pegasus stroked his hair as the person began to speak faster. Suddenly he thrust the phone away from his ear, immediately bringing it back to his mouth.

"What? What do you mean someone's hacked our databases?" The voice on the other side scrambled again speaking even quicker. "I don't care what you have to do! Find the culprit and have them arrested! Anyone who messes with my company is going to face my wrath!"

He slammed the phone onto its base, causing the sign to fall onto the patterned rug. Pegasus circled the desk, facing the window behind it. He rested his hands on the windowsill trembling from rage. "No one messes with my company…"


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

A large crowd gathered outside of a large dome-like building. Beside the entrance stood two statues of sky-blue dragons on pedestals that towered over the tiny people below. Over the doorway a banner, that read 'KaibaCorp's 2nd Grand Championship Tournament – Elimination Round Is Today!', streamed above and fluttered with the breeze.

On the inside groups of people dotted the floors. People were drinking sodas, eating snacks and chatting while they waited. In the center of the building, a receptionist's desk wrapped around a wide pillar took people one by one as they registered for the events that were about to take place.

"Josh, hurry up!" A boy in a camouflage jacket shouted with his hands cupping his mouth, "Quick before the line gets too long!" When he saw his friend approaching he brought his hands to his side, letting the device equipped onto his left arm hang freely.

"Sorry Dave," the other replied while opening a bag of chips, the crumbs went flying all over his orangey-red sweatshirt, "I was just buying a snack. It looks like a long wait."

"It'll be even longer if we don't get on line!" He said grabbing his friend's wrist. He dragged him until they reached the end of the line. "See, look how long this line is," he sighed, "we're never gonna be able to register at this rate."

"You mean _you're_ never gonna register," Josh corrected him, "_I_ can't duel, remember?"

Dave shook his head, "No, you're gonna duel." He pointed to sign at the receptionist's desk that hung on the pillar.

_Booster Pack Casual-Tournament: New Duelists Welcome!_

_(Participants will be provided with a free Card Analyzer upon entry)_

Josh nearly dropped his chips when he read it. "Oohh no!" He took a step back slightly, "I'm not gonna duel, I barely understand how that big watch-thingy works." He stated twirling his finger around the device on Dave's arm.

"First of all it's called a Duel Disk," he said bringing it to eye level, "and second I can teach you the basics before you enter."

He slid his hand along its two blue and gray platforms. The center was made up of a white circle that had an electronic meter which attached the two halves together. On the white circle there were also two slots, one of which held Dave's deck of cards.

Josh groaned, Dave had already given him a quick tutorial on the way over so he wouldn't be completely lost while Dave was dueling. But he wasn't in the mood for another.

"Uhh, I think I'll pas-"

"First I'll teach you about the order of the turn," he began, oblivious to Josh's protests, "First there's the Draw Phase. This is obviously when you draw a card from your deck. At the beginning of the duel both players draw five cards before either player starts their turn. Then every turn after that they draw one card," He stated pulling the top card from his own deck.

"Next is the Standby Phase. This is when a lot of card effects take place but they're easy to understand because all you have to do is follow the directions on the card."

He held the brown-backed card to eye level before continuing, "Then you have Main Phase 1. This is when you actually play the cards onto the field." He looked back to the Duel Disk and pointed to the blue squares on it. "There are three types of cards – Monster Cards, Spell Cards and Trap Cards. Monster Cards are vanilla- or orange-colored and are placed on these blue tiles. These can be 'summoned,' which means you place it on the field face-up, or 'set,' which means you place it on the field face-down. Normally you can only summon one monster per turn."

_How exciting…_ Josh thought, but obviously this wasn't shown on his face because Dave continued his lecture. He took the card in his hand and placed it on the one of tiles, revealing it to be an orange-colored card that had a picture of black armored warrior on it.

"When you place the card vertically, it is in 'Attack Position' and when it's place horizontally," he said switching it to match his explanation, "it's in 'Defense Position.' A monster can be placed in face-up Attack Position, face-up Defense Position or in face-down Defense Position. However, you can never play a Monster in face-down Attack Position."

"Why's that?" Josh asked in a dull tone as he blankly stared at the card on Dave's Duel Disk. He figured he might as well listen to Dave's tutorial to pass the time. Or at least pretend. Besides, he was a captive audience.

Dave shrugged, "I dunno. I didn't make the rules." He returned his attention to the card before continuing, "Now for Spell Cards-"

"Wait wait wait," Josh carelessly waved his hand to interject, "What's the difference between the white-colored monsters and the orange-colored ones?"

Dave brought his hand back to his deck, "The orange-colored ones are called Effect Monsters. Like the name says they are monsters with effects which vary from card to card." He drew a second card, "The vanilla-colored monsters are called Normal Monsters. They're just monsters that have no effect so they're easy to work with for new players.

"Anyway back to Spell Cards," he held the card so the front faced Josh, showing the picture of a sword that was surrounded by a green border. "Spell Cards are green-colored cards that are placed in these slots just below the monster cards." He said placing it in a slot directly below the tile that was currently occupied with Dave's Effect Monster. "Spell Cards are able to be played face-up and face-down. Most Spell Cards can only be activated during your turn and are usually sent to the Graveyard after being used."

Beginning to zone out, Josh stared at the poster featuring the same blue dragons that were outside. They had an air of authority around them, and for some reason sent a pang of pain through his heart. Dave, snapping his fingers to get Josh's attention again, quickly snapped him back to reality.

"The what?"

"The Graveyard, a.k.a. the discard pile," Dave said pointing to the empty slot on the white circle. It was surrounded by a red plate that went down to the meter. "The Graveyard is where cards go when they are removed from the field or 'destroyed.' But I'll get back to that later."

He drew a third card from the deck and this time it was a purple-colored card that had a picture of a torso-piece of armor being shattered.

"The last kind of cards is Trap Cards. These cards can only be placed face-down during your turn and can't be activated until your opponent's turn starts. Trap Cards are usually used to stop your opponent from doing something or to ruin their strategies in some way."

Dave placed the Trap Card into the slot next to the Spell Card.

"You can only have five Monster Cards on the field at a time, and you can only have a total of five Spell and Trap Cards on the field at a time. So be careful when deciding which ones to use."

Noticing that the line had gone forward, Josh moved ahead, followed by Dave before resuming his lesson.

"Then we have the Battle Phase. This is where the action starts. During the Battle Phase no cards can be played from your hand so make sure you play them before entering it."

Josh munched on his potato chips while he listened, nearly overshadowed Dave's voice. _How the hell does he expect me to remember all these rules?_

"Now in the Battle Phase, all Attack Position monsters you control are able to attack monsters on your opponent's side of the field. Each monster can only attack once and if you can't attack if your turn is starting the duel," He stated stepping forward with the line. "When a monster attacks another monster, we look at the number value of both cards. The left value is the ATK, which is the value used for Attack Position, and the right value is the DEF, which is the value for Defense Position. If you attack a monster in Attack Position and your monster's ATK is higher that your opponent's, it's destroyed and sent to the Graveyard. Then the difference between the two monster's ATK is subtracted from your opponent's Life Points."

"Huh?" Josh asked as he tossed the empty bag into the nearest garbage bin. The word was more of a reaction then a question.

"Life Points are what keep you in the game. Both players start with 8000 Life Points and the point of the game is to reduce your opponent's Life Points to zero. If you can do that you win."

Dave took the cards off his Duel Disk and placed them back into the deck. He shuffled it as he talked, "If you attack a monster in Defense Position and your monster's ATK is higher than the opposing monster's DEF, your opponent's monster is destroyed but no Life Point damage is inflicted.

"However," he paused to put the deck back in its slot, "if you attack a monster whose DEF is greater than your monster's ATK, you lose Life Points equal to the difference. Only in this case your monster isn't destroyed. If your monster attacks while your opponent has no monsters, it's called a Direct Attack and your monster's ATK value is subtracted from your opponent's Life Points. Trap Cards are your friends during the Battle Phase 'cause they can be activated in case something goes wrong.

"After the Battle Phase we have Main Phase 2. It's exactly the same as Main Phase 1 so there's no reason to go over it. Finally there's the End Phase, which is when you declare the end of your turn. Then it's your opponents turn and the cycle starts over and over again until someone's Life Points hit zero."

Dave glanced forward to see that they were almost near the front of the line before turning to Josh. "You got it?"

Josh wiped some crumbs off his lips, "You lost me after Draw Phase…"

"Next!"

Dave patted Josh on the shoulder, "You'll get used to it. Sometimes it's easier to actually do something than to learn about it."

_Or I can just sit and watch like I planned to…_

The two walked over to the counter where a woman dressed in a gray suit sat looking at the forms laid out in front of her. She handed Dave a pen and pointed to one of the sheets. "Sign here… and here… and here…" she said monotonously, then pushed another sheet in front of Josh. "Sign here-"

"Oh wait, my friend's participating in the Booster Pack Tournament instead."

The receptionist glared at him for a moment before spinning her chair to fumble with a box behind her. When she returned she held out her hand, expecting Josh to give her some money. Dave handed her a bill, then the receptionist gave Josh five booster-packs of cards and a small hand-held computer.

"These are your booster packs and your Card Analyzer," she droned in an annoyed manner, "you are only permitted to use the cards from these packs during the promotional tournament. Your Card Analyzer acts as a PDA which allows you to access information on any card in circulation as well as other information on duels at will." She ended by pointing to their left without looking away from the table, "The promotional tournament takes place in the cafeteria while the Elimination Tournament takes place in the Dueling Arena. Good luck." The last two words were said with sarcastic emphasis.

Dave and Josh headed over to their assigned rooms while Josh struggled to open his booster packs. "That woman didn't seem too happy."

"She's probably just tired of dealing with these people all day." The two stopped in front of a poster that directed them to their respective areas. "Well, good luck Josh."

"You too, Dave." Josh answered watching Dave step into the Dueling Arena. He looked at the poster before heading to start his own tournament.

_So much for moral support…_

* * *

><p>As Josh entered the cafeteria, he noticed how empty it was. Despite its size and many rows of long tables, only a small section of it was occupied by people. He walked around watching the others play the game. As he observed, he felt that he understood the rules Dave had thrown at him before. After two young teenage boys finished gathering their cards back together into their piles, one of them noticed him watching.<p>

"You want to Duel next?" he asked as the other moved over to give Josh room to sit. He didn't really want to, but didn't feel obligated to reject his invitation.

"Sure," he answered sheepishly. He assumed his position on the other side of the table and placed his newly-made deck to his right. He picked up five cards while his opponent did the same from his own deck.

[Josh LP: (8000)] [Opponent LP: (8000)]

"You can go first," the boy said with a wave of his hand.

"Uh, nah, you go first," Josh insisted. He didn't want to make a mistake on his first turn.

"Alright," he agreed, drawing a card. Taking one from the batch in his left hand, he placed it horizontally on the table. "I play one monster in face-down Defense Position –" he took another two cards and placed them directly beneath it, "– and two face-down cards and I end my turn." He brought his hand to his side, waiting patiently for Josh to make a move.

Josh pulled the top card from his deck as he examined his hand.

_Let's see… Dave said that I should summon a monster to attack with… Monsters were the orange ones right?_ He thought addressing this to the middle card. Its image depicted a blue ghoul-like monster that had several limbs and its head near the bottom of its body. He looked at the card more closely, considering it.

_Dark Jeriod… looks like a powerful monster to me. _He slid it out of his left hand with his right. _Hey, it has an effect. _He brought it to eye level to read the description. _So I can lower the ATK of one monster on the field by 800? That might come in handy._ Josh, committed to this idea, placed it down vertically.

"I summon Dark Jeriod in Attack Position (**1200**/1500)," his opponent raised an eyebrow at this, "and when it's summoned, he can decrease the ATK of one monster on the field by 800!" Josh grinned. This wasn't as hard as he had originally thought.

"You know that Dark Jeriod's effect only works on face-up monsters right?"

The question caught Josh off guard, "So what does that mean?"

The boy pointed to the horizontal card in front of him, "It means you can't decrease the ATK of my card since it's face-down. The only monster you can select is your own monster."

Josh recovered from this set back, "Then I'll lower Dark Jeriod's ATK." (**1200 - 400**/1500) No big deal. He figured it wasn't the worst thing that could happen. Now he just had to remember what to do next.

_Oh right, the Battle Phase_, Josh thought aiming his finger at his opponent's monster card. "Now I use Dark Jeriod to attack your face-down monster!"

The boy flipped the card over to reveal an orange card that had a picture of a brick wall that was shaped to look like a person holding their hands up. "You attacked my Stone Statue of the Aztecs." (300/**2000**)

Josh saw the DEF value and knew he had made a mistake. "Wait, that monster has a higher DEF…"

"It's about to get even higher." The boy took a card from his hand and placed it above the Deck – where Dave had said is where the Graveyard is. "I discard Stronghold Guardian with its effect to increase Stone Statue of the Aztec's DEF by 1500." (300/**2000 - 3500**)

"Uh oh," Josh said, realizing his Life Points were about to drop significantly.

"I'm not done yet," he took one of his other face-down cards and flipped it over to reveal a purple-colored card, "I activate my Trap, Cross Counter."

Josh peered over to see. "What does that do?"

His opponent held up a handheld computer which Josh recognized as the same one he had just received. "Check your Card Analyzer." He obeyed, reaching into his pocket. He pressed a button and typed in the name.

"Card Analyzer activated…" it beeped, "Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data: 'Cross Counter' … … Data Found:

**Cross Counter**

[Trap]

If the DEF of an attacked Defense Position monster is higher than the ATK of your opponent's attacking monster, the Battle Damage inflicted to your opponent is doubled. Destroy the attacking monster after damage calculation."

Josh jerked his head back slightly when he finished reading. "What? That's ridiculous!"

"And on top of that," the boy continued, "Stone Statue of the Aztec's effect doubles the damage inflicted again. So that makes it…" he typed the numbers into his Card Analyzer, then faced the screen to Josh, "12400 damage." [Josh LP: (8000 - 0)]

"That was overkill…" Josh exhaled in disbelief. The boy held out his palm to him in sympathy.

"Good game."

Josh hesitated, then accepted his defeat. Looks like there was more to this than he hoped there would. He stood up as the two boys whispered amongst themselves. An embarrassing loss like that probably doesn't happen too often.

* * *

><p>Josh mingled around the cafeteria, watching others play. It seemed that this game wasn't meant for him, he lost to nearly every person in the room. Not like it mattered – he didn't want to be a part of it to begin with. He was about to sneak out to find Dave when something grasped onto his shoulder.<p>

"I don't think I've dueled you yet," a feminine voice said. Josh spun around to see a red haired girl about his age holding a deck of cards. "Why don't we before you leave?"

Josh couldn't find his words so he nodded instead. They both sat at the table closest to the doors, one across from the other. The girl drew her cards and stated firmly, "Your turn."

[Josh LP: (8000)] [Red-Head LP: (8000)]

Josh grabbed the top card and added it to the collection in his hand. He glanced over the cards, this time being careful about which ones he played. While he did this, he noticed he held the cards Cross Counter and Stone Statue of the Aztecs – the same ones that started his lose streak. Then he looked to the rightmost card and saw it was Stronghold Guardian.

Determined to imitate his earlier opponent's strategy, he placed Stone Statue of the Aztecs face-down horizontally and then Cross Counter below it before passing the baton to his new opponent.

The red-haired girl added a new card to her hand. She quickly picked a card from it and placed it down. "I summon Raging Flame Sprite in Attack Position. (**100**/200)"

Josh laughed in his mind. _Maybe I'm not the _worst _duelist here after all._

The girl took another card, placing this one down as well. The flaming serpent shown on it contrasted with its green borders. "Next I activate Salamandra. This increases my Sprite's ATK by 700 points." (**100 - 800**/200)

This didn't worry Josh too much. It still wasn't strong enough to take down his wall. The girl continued taking one more card and adding it to the field.

"I activate Double Attack. By discarding a higher leveled monster, I can have my Raging Flame Sprite attack twice this turn."

What the heck is a level? Either way, it didn't matter. The monster would be destroyed after its first strike. Right?

"Now I'll use its effect to attack you directly."

_What!_ She had to be making this up. You can't attack directly when a monster was on the opposite side of the field. That's what Dave had said anyway. He used his Card Analyzer to check:

"Accessing Card Database… Data Found:

**Raging Flame Sprite**

[Fire]

[Pyro/Effect]

(100/200)

This card can attack your opponent directly. Each time this card successfully attacks directly, it gains 1000 ATK."

Josh put the small computer next to his Deck and looked to the red-haired girl. Turns out she wasn't a newbie after all. [Josh LP: (8000 - 7200)]

She took note of his surprise. "And thanks to Raging Flame Sprite's other effect, it gains 1000 ATK," (**800 - 1800**/200) "Now I'll have it attack directly once again –" [Josh LP: (7200 - 5400)] "– which increases its ATK by 1000 more. (**1800 - 2800**/200) Then I activate Hand Mimic," she put the card next to Salamandra and proceeded to draw cards from her Deck. "This card allows me to draw cards until we both have an equal amount. Now I play two cards face-down and end my turn."

That was a lot for Josh to take in. Not only did she out smart him several times over, but now he was unsure how to stop this monster whose power was growing by the second.

He drew a card before saying, "I summon one monster in face-down Defense Position and place one card face-down."

He did so, then he placed down a final card face-up. It was a green Spell Card that showed three red fairies dressed in light blue floating around a background of flames. "I play Tremendous Fire," he said reading its effect aloud, "this card inflicts 1000 damage to your Life Points and 500 to my own." He knew this was a somewhat risky move but at this rate anything was better than his constant losses.

"Not quite." She took the card she laid down earlier and showed a new Trap Card. This one had a picture of an ancient tomb setting. In the foreground, a golden gun which had a cobra-shaped back was aimed at the man who stood in the background. "I activate Barrel Behind the Door. This card takes the Effect Damage I would receive and sends it back to you." Hearing this, Josh shoved his hands in his face and let out an exasperated cry. [Josh LP: (5400 - 3900)]

_Can I go home already?_ His hands dropped onto the table and with gloom in his voice he said, "It's your turn."

The girl followed the usual routine. After deciding what to do, she let her strategy unfold. "I attack directly with Raging Flame Sprite's effect." [Josh LP: (3900 - 1100)]

"I activate my face-down card," Josh said with his hand pressed against cheek, "Attack and Receive. You take 700 damage." [Red-Head LP: (8000 - 7300)]

"Now –"

"Yeah yeah, Raging Flame Sprite gains 1000 ATK." (**2800 - 3800**/200)

"Well… that too but that's not what I was going to say." She held out the card she had just drawn showing to be the same card Josh had just played, "I activate Tremendous Fire."

Josh moved his arm off the table, sitting up straight when he heard the card's name. Seems that, unlike him, other people are able to use these cards skillfully.

[Josh LP: (1100 - 100)] [Red-Head LP: (7300 - 6800)]

"Now I activate my Trap Card, Spiritual Fire Art – Kurenai. Now I can tribute Fire monster I control and I can inflict damage to your Life Points equal to its original ATK."

"So I take 100 damage and lose. What a surprise." [Josh LP: (100 - 0)]

The girl perked her head up. "Are you okay?"

Josh tossed his cards onto the table, letting them glide onto the floor. "I'm fine! I just hate this game." He stood up before continuing, this time he shouted, although no one else appeared to notice, "I never even wanted to play anyway! I only came to cheer my friend on, that's it! He tricked me into this stupid tournament."

He turned his back and growled, "Thanks for the match." Josh began to storm out of the cafeteria.

"Wait."

This quiet word expressed all the sincerity needed to stop Josh in his tracks. He slowly turned his head back to the red-haired girl. She held out her arm, with his deck in hand. "Come with me, I'll show you how to duel."

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Auto-Update Feature Engaged:

New Card Information shall be downloaded frequently as it is released for easy access…


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

Josh stared at the red-haired girl, moving his gaze from her face, down her blue silk sleeve until they reached the deck, and reversed the motion until he made eye contact. She wasn't going to move until he gave an answer.

"Listen," he said slowly making his way back to the table, "I appreciate the offer but this game isn't meant for me. I'll just keep losing."

"Everyone has to start somewhere," she said extending her arm so Josh was within reach, "You won't even have to duel this time. I'll teach you as I play."

Josh paused for a moment. He didn't want to duel anymore after today, but then again Dave would probably make him in the near future. Besides, what harm could watching be?

He lifted his hand, gently taking the deck from her and the girl motioned for him to follow. "This way."

They circled the table, heading down to the other end near the vending machines. Josh cautiously shadowed his escort's steps; he wasn't sure why they were going this far for a lesson. When she stopped walking he noticed the two boys he dueled first were sitting down eating a bag of cheese doodles. Great, now this was going to be even more embarrassing.

"Excuse me," she asked politely, "my friend doesn't know how to duel properly yet. Do you mind if I duel you so I can teach him."

While the one boy – Josh's original opponent – shook his head showing his fingers covered in cheese, the other one smiled in agreement. "Sure," he said, "I'll duel."

The two duelists arranged their decks in their proper places, drawing five cards each. The red haired girl glimpsed at Josh, who immediately leaned in to see what she held. "Just ask questions as the duel progresses," she said humbly, "We'll answer anything you don't understand."

"Okay." Josh's voice faded. The girl drew a card from her deck starting the match.

[Red-Head LP: (8000)] [Opponent LP: (8000)]

She took the card and shoved it in the middle of the others before lifting them up for Josh to see. He recognized most of the cards, such as Tremendous Fire, Salamandra, Cross Counter and Hand Mimic, but the other two he hadn't seen before. One was a monster called Flame Manipulator which showed a person in a torn purple shirt gritting his teeth with his veins popping. He noticed that the card had an ATK value of 900, and after his experience with lower ATK monsters, he figured the girl wouldn't play it.

The last card was another orange-colored monster named Shadow Ghoul. It featured a tall green ghoul-like creature with long sharp claws and several bright red eyes covering its torso. This monster had 1600 ATK and an effect which Josh figured the girl would explain later, since he assumed she would play this card first. His mouth opened slightly when she pulled Flame Manipulator instead.

"I summon Flame Manipulator in Attack Position." (**900**/1000)

"Hang on," Josh interrupted pointing at Shadow Ghoul, "why didn't you summon that monster instead when it's clearly stronger."

She studied the card he was referring to and then said, "Because it's a level five monster." She brought it closer and touched her index finger near the top. "Do you see these stars?"

Josh leaned in closer, "Yeah? What about them?"

"Every monster has a certain number of stars on them. The number of stars represents the monster's level. Depending on the level of the monster, you need to offer other monsters on the field and send them to the Graveyard to summon the new one," she pointed to Flame Manipulator before continuing, "Monsters whose level's one through four don't need to be sacrificed, so you can summon them with no problem. But after that you need to sacrifice.

"Levels five and six need one tribute. So on my next turn, if Flame Manipulator is still on the field, I will be able to summon a level five or six monster. Levels seven and eight need two tributes and levels nine and up need three. Most players don't keep too many higher leveled cards in their deck because of that."

"Oh, that makes sense," he stood back allowing the duel to resume.

The girl took another card from her hand and placed it on the table. "I activate Salamandra and equip it Flame Manipulator. Now since it's a Fire monster it gains 700 ATK." (**900 - 1600**/1000)

"Hold on, what do mean equip? And what the heck is a 'Fire' monster?"

Taking Flame Manipulator off the table, she turned and held it up in front of Josh's gaze. "You see how it says 'Fire' in the top right corner?"

Josh blinked, "Yeah but I don't get what it means."

She returned it to its original spot, "That means it's a Fire monster. Every monster has an 'attribute' in the top right corner of the card. These attributes are Light, Dark, Water, Fire, Wind and Earth. Since Salamandra can only be equipped to Fire monsters, Flame Manipulator is able to use it."

Josh nodded slightly. "Okay, but what does an equip mean? I thought Spell cards went to the Graveyard after being used," he gestured towards the card, "but it's still on the field. Why's that?"

"There are some Spell and Trap cards that stay on the field even after they're activated," she began, "This is one of them – Equip Spell Cards. These cards select one monster on the field and are, in a sense, attached to them. They remain on the field until the equipped monster is destroyed or they themselves are destroyed by a card effect. Most Equip Spells require a certain kind of monster to be on the field in order to be activated and usually increase the equipped monster's stats."

Returning to the game, she laid down another Spell Card. "I activate Hand Mimic. Now I draw cards until I hold the same number of cards as you." One by one she added three new cards to her hand, showing them to Josh before slotting them in between her fingers. As she flashed them he saw two Normal Monsters and Spell Card.

"Now I place two cards face-down and end my turn." Josh noticed that one of them was the Spell Card she had just drawn. He was about to ask why, but refrained from it so he wouldn't ruin a potential strategy of hers.

"My draw," the boy said eagerly. He slipped the card off the top and immediately threw another down. "I summon Maruading Captain in Attack Position –" (**1200**/400) " – and thanks to his effect I can Special Summon one level four or lower monster from my hand. So now I summon Dark Jeriod in Attack Position as well." (**1200**/1500)

"Wait a second!" Josh broke in, "How are you able to summon two monsters in one turn? I was told the rules only allow one per turn!"

The boy patted the air, making Josh realize that he must have been shouting. Once he became less tense, the boy answered.

"It's called a Special Summon. Special Summons are normally only done through a card's effect and don't count towards the one-summon-per-turn restriction. In fact, you can do it as many times as you want. Plus," he waved his hand at the red haired girl while saying this, "you don't need to sacrifice monsters for level five and higher monsters. At least not usually."

Josh absorbed this, then a small smile spread across his face. "Sounds cool."

"Anyway," the boy continued, "thanks to Dark Jeriod's effect, I can decrease the ATK of one monster on the field by 800. And I pick your Flame Manipulator." (**1600 - 800**/1000) "Now I activate the Field Spell, Sogen." He took the Spell Card from his hand placed it beside his monsters' left.

"What's a Field Spell?" Josh asked politely.

"A Field Spell is a kind of Spell Card that affects every monster on the field. They're placed next to the Monster Card Zones opposite of the Graveyard and don't count towards your maximum five Spell and Trap cards. There can only be one on the field at a time though, if another is activated the first one gets destroyed."

"So they affect every monster?"

"Well, not every monster," the boy shrugged, "it depends on the card. This one specifically increases the ATK and DEF of all Warrior and Beast-Warrior type monsters by 200."

Just as Josh opened his mouth, the red-haired girl chimed in, "Just like how every monster has an attribute, every monster also a type. There are about twenty different types so I'm not going to list them all."

The boy grinned then added, "Yep, and since my Marauding Captain is a Warrior it gains 200 ATK and DEF." (**1200 - 1400**/400 - 600) "Now I'll have Marauding Captain attack Flame Manipulator."

"I activate the Quickplay Spell Card, Rush Recklessly," she said flipping over the green card she played earlier. It featured a red boar that appeared to be dashing towards something. "Now I can select one monster on the field and increase its ATK by 700. I pick Flame Manipulator." (**800 - 1500**/1000)

"So I guess Marauding Captain is destroyed instead huh…" the boy moped, taking the Monster Card and moving it to the Graveyard. [Opponent LP: (8000 - 7900)] He took another card and laid it face-down below Dark Jeriod. "I end my turn."

"Wait, how were you able to use that Spell Card on your opponent's turn?" Josh asked eyeing the boar on the card.

"Quickplay Spell cards are special because during your turn you can activate them from your hand at any time, even during the Battle Phase," Josh noted this because of the way she spoke about them, "And if you play them face-down, they act as Trap Cards in a sense. You can't activate them until at least your opponent's next turn, but after that you can."

"Yeah," the boy said, "But their effects usually only last for one turn so Flame Manipulator loses its ATK bonus." (**1500 - 800**/1000)

"It doesn't matter too much. I don't need it anymore." She drew a card and pulled out Tremendous Fire. "Now we both take damage to our Life Points. I take 500 while you take 1000."

[Red-Head LP: (8000 - 7500)] [Opponent LP: 7900 - 6900)]

"Next I activate Polymerization," she laid down a card that resembled a hypnotic spiral. Around the bottom edges of it were two orange shapes that resembled some kind of monsters. "Now I take Flame Manipulator from my field and Masaki the Legendary Swordsman from my hand and Fusion Summon my Flame Swordsman."

She discarded a green-armored samurai and moved both Flame Manipulator and Salamandra from their spots to the Graveyard. Then she took a card that was placed off to the side prior to the match and placed it vertically on the field. It was a purple card, despite it having an ATK and DEF value. This confused Josh greatly.

"Whoawhoawhoawhoa… What the heck just happened?"

All three of them looked up to Josh as if he was growing a third arm. For a second it seemed they had forgotten he was there.

"Sorry, that must've been a lot to take in. It was a Fusion Summon," she stated when repositioned herself in her seat, "Fusion Summons are a type of Special Summon that's used to summon purple Monster Cards from the Extra Deck, which is located under the Field Spell Zone."

She touched the referenced spot, "Fusion Monsters are never placed in the regular deck or in your hand. They're only called out after using a card like Polymerization by sending the monsters listed on its text to the Graveyard. There _are_ other methods to summon these monsters, but this one is most common."

She turned back to her opponent before saying, "I summon Flame Swordsman in Attack Position and since it's a Warrior monster it gains 200 ATK and DEF." (**1800 - 2000**/1600 - 1800) "And since I still get my one summon, I play Blue-Winged Crown in Attack Position as well." (**1600**/1200) "Now I'll have Flame Swordsman attack Dark Jeriod."

"I activate my Trap, Spellbinding Circle," he said flipping it, "Now I can select one monster on the field and that monster can't attack or change its battle position anymore."

With her plan foiled, she decided to improvise. "In that case I'll attack with Blue-Winged Crown instead. Then I'll end my turn."

[Red-Head LP: (7500)] [Opponent LP: (6900 - 6500)]

"Okay," he said drawing a card. "Now –"

"Why didn't Spellbinding Circle go to the Graveyard?" Josh interrupted again. "I thought they did that after they were used."

"It's a Continuous Trap Card," the boy replied readying his next card, "Both Spells and Traps have Continuous counterparts. Like the name implies they stay on the field until they're destroyed by a card's effect."

"How do you guys remember all of these rules?"

Both players shrugged their shoulders. "You get used to it."

The boy looked back to the red-haired girl, who was adjusting her sleeves. "I'll play one monster in face-down Defense Position and end my turn."

The girl drew a new card, which Josh saw was a monster. It showed a light blue bat-headed bird floating in the sky with its wings aimed at the left part of the image as if it were striking at something off screen. She took her Flame Swordsman and immediately replaced it with a new card.

"I sacrifice Flame Swordsman to summon Shadow Ghoul in Attack Position." (**1600**/1300) "With its effect, it gains 100 ATK for every monster in my Graveyard and I count three –" (**1600 - 1900/**1300) "– Now I'll use Shadow Ghoul to attack your face-down monster."

The boy flipped the card over, revealing it to be the same card that the red-haired girl had just drawn, named Stealth Bird. (700/**1700**) Since it was destroyed by Shadow Ghoul, he lifted it up, only to be put back down into the discard pile.

"Since you have no monsters, I'll have Blue-Winged Crown attack you directly."

[Red-Head LP: (7500)] [Opponent LP: (6500 - 4900)]

With that the boy sprung for his deck. "My turn. First I'll activate Soul Taker. This card destroys one monster you control but in exchange you gain 1000 Life Points. So I'll use it to destroy Shadow Ghoul." [Red-Head LP: (7500 - 8500)]

He took another card and tossed it down in front of him. This one resembled a woman wearing Greek armor with a cape swooping down, covering most of the foreground. She held a staff that had several blades shooting out near both ends.

"Next I'll summon Crimson Sentry, and since it's a Warrior monster it gains 200 ATK and DEF –" (**1500 - 1700**/1200 - 1400) "– Now I'll use it to attack your Blue-Winged Crown."

With that the girl moved her card to the discard pile with no sign of worry in her actions. [Red-Head LP: (8500 - 8400)] She drew a new card, and played it immediately.

"I activate my own Soul Taker. Now I'll destroy your monster and you get 1000 Life Points." [Opponent LP: (4900 - 5900)] She moved her Stealth Bird card from her hand and laid it on the table face-down horizontally before calmly saying, "Your turn."

The boy drew again and played a new monster on the table. It was a samurai with green armor – the same one the red haired girl used to Fusion Summon Flame Swordsman. "I summon Masaki the Legendary Warrior. Like the name says it's a Warrior monster so it benefits from Sogen's boost." (**1100 -1300**/1100 - 1300) "Now I'll have it attack your face-down monster."

She flipped it over to reveal it to be Stealth Bird, then overturned the card directly below it as well. "I activate Cross Counter. Now your monster is destroyed and the damage inflicted is doubled." The boy took a moment to think, then unwilling tossed his monster to the Graveyard.

"I end my turn."

[Red-Head LP: (8400)] [Opponent LP: (5900 - 5100)]

Josh saw the card the girl had drawn next appeared to be a blue cross with its sides raised up slightly. A red gem was engraved in its center and ribbons spiraled down from them gracefully until they met at the cross's base. This was the first time Josh felt pleased to see a card like this – maybe it's just because he likes pretty pictures. The girl placed it down declaring its name.

"I activate the Spell Card, Monster Reborn. Now I can Special Summon one monster from either player's Graveyard to my side of the field. And I choose Flame Swordsman."

Josh intervened again, this time with excitement instead of confusion: "You can Special Summon monsters from the Graveyard?"

The girl turned to him with a cheerful smile. "Of course. The cards' effects are half the game. With the right cards you can do anything really." She dug through the pile of cards above her deck and returned the purple Monster Card to the field center of the field. "And since Sogen's still on the field it gains 200 ATK and DEF –" (**1800 - 2000**/1600 - 1800) "– Now I'll switch Stealth Bird to Attack Position and have both of my monster attack you directly."

[Red-Head LP: (8400)] [Opponent LP: (5100 - 3100 - 2400)]

"Next I activate Stealth Bird's effect. I can flip it into face-down Defense Position once per turn." She did so as she explained, "And I end my turn."

Josh moved closer as the duel began to grow more heated. The boy drew a card silently and, after reading it over, placed it next to his deck. "I activate Swords of Revealing Light. Now all your face-down monsters are flipped face-up and you can't attack for three turns." He dragged his hand across the table until it came to his lap. "Your move."

The girl repeated the pattern that Josh started to become too familiar with. She skimmed over the card, then: "I activate De-Spell which allows me to destroy one Spell Card on the field. So your swords are destroyed." The boy reluctantly brushed the card over to the side. He was done. No eye contact was made while she turned her Stealth Bird so it was straight. "I'll have both my monsters attack you directly."

[Red-Head LP: (8400)] [Opponent LP: (2400 - 1700 - 0)]

The boy scooped up his cards and formed them back into a single pile. He shook hands with his opponent, who thanked him for the help. He nodded, turned to Josh saying "Have fun dueling," and left with his friend who was still chewing on snacks. The red-haired girl took her cards together and stood up in front of Josh.

"Thanks for teaching me how to duel, uh –"

"Elisa," she stated quietly.

"Thanks Elisa. I think I'll give dueling another shot."

"No problem. I knew you would," she started to walked away, stopped then added, "Catch ya 'round."

Josh watched her leave before looking to his own deck. He pulled the top card, bringing it to eye level as he brought the deck to his side. He smiled to himself when he saw it was Monster Reborn.

* * *

><p>For about twenty minutes Josh loitered near the sign where he and Dave had separated. He assumed they would meet there, since it was an unspoken rule between them to meet in the last spot they saw each other. To keep himself busy he fumbled with the cards in his left hand – by doing so he had taught himself how to shuffle one-handed – and played with his sweatshirt's zipper with his right. He knew Dave should've been almost done by now, how long could an Elimination Tournament take?<p>

The moment this question popped into Josh's mind, Dave came running over.

"I made the top sixteen!" Dave shouted in excitement before Josh could ask how he did.

"That's great," Josh said sharing his enthusiasm. "Was it hard getting in?"

Dave took a moment to catch his breath. "Yeah. I had to win at least six duels. These guys are tough, but I won all eight matches so I'm not too worried."

Eight matches? Josh knew the place was packed but could only imagine how crowded the arena must have been. Hopefully he would be able to get a decent seat.

"How'd your duels go?" Dave asked eyeing Josh's new deck of cards.

Josh followed Dave's stare and his shuffling immediately seized. "I lost every game," He muttered. Then he looked up to Dave so he wouldn't be concerned, "but this girl named Elisa showed me how to duel. I like it, I just suck."

Dave smiled, "Well, we all start somewhere."

"I guess so," Josh agreed, and shoved the deck into his pocket. "So what should we do now?"

"I dunno." Dave stared at his feet for a moment thinking. Josh did the same until when a kid a few years younger than them came over. He was short with a black mop for hair that spiked out at the sides until they met at a single point near his hips. His bangs fell over his forehead as he approached.

"Are you Dave Litenur?" the kid asked.

Dave lifted his head, "Yeah that's me."

"You ran away before I could give you this."

The kid handed him a sheet of paper that listed the participants of the tournament as well the rules for the competition. On the top was the image of a blue dragon similar to the statues that stood outside of the building.

"Make sure you show up at 10:25 sharp tomorrow morning," he stated as if he were reading off a script, "Bring friends and don't be late."

The boy ran in the opposite direction before Dave could thank him.

"Looks like people really take this game seriously," Josh said, looking over the sheet.

"You have no idea."

* * *

><p>The boy rushed to the side of the building near an emergency exit door. His long black hair floated in the air as a single unit until he met with a brown haired man on a cell phone. The man's white blazer had sharp shoulder pads and went all the way down to his feet, but when it reached his hips it stuck out in a dramatic fashion that made it resemble the sharp edges of a dragon's wings.<p>

"Seto, I finished handing out the information to th–" A hand halted the boy's words as the man continued to talk into the phone.

"Yes, I understand. We'll keep an eye out." He ended the phone conversation by pressing a button and held it down before he spoke again, "That was Pegasus. Someone's hacked into their databases last night."

The boy's pupils widened. "What do you think we should do?"

The man turned his back to the boy before answering, "There's not much we can do until the tournament's over. But until we should beef up security so that nothing happens to us." He glanced over his shoulder, "Mokuba, I want you to go to all the security guards and inform them about this mishap."

The boy nodded, "Right."

The man heard Mokuba's footsteps fade and then mumbled to himself, still holding the cell phone. He tighten his grip on it as if it was about to jump out of his hand.

_What the hell is going on…_

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… Data Found:

**Hand Mimic**

[Spell]

Activate only if you have less cards in your hand than your opponent. Draw cards from your Deck until the amount of cards in each player's hand is equal.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

Darkness surrounded Josh as he headed down the city street. Only the inconsistent noises of cars and cats in the distance stood out to him. The rest seemed to be nonexistent, as if he were the only human being for miles.

Every so often he would look over his shoulder to see if anything was behind him and every time the result was the same. Nothing. Josh continued down his path, slowing his pace with each step. Not his steps, he thought. His anxiety told him that someone was after him, but over and over again he proved this to be wrong.

He passed under a streetlight, stopping to survey the area. Once again only the horns from afar could be heard. He grabbed his zipper, closing his sweatshirt while his eyes traveled. It wasn't unusual to feel nervous while walking around at night. Right?

Still walking down the same road, he started to calm down. Nothing was going to happen. All he had to do was go home and go to sleep, then everything would be back to normal. A sharp crash from a garbage can broke this mindset and Josh's head swirled around vigorously trying to find the source. His head sank down into his neck trying to suppress a yell.

In the alleyway nearby, a figure stood beside an overturned garbage can defiantly facing Josh's direction; although its features were covered by shadows, its large spikey hair towered over the rest of its body, leaving Josh to believe it was some kind of monster. When the "monster" noticed it had been spotted, it dashed into the abyss of darkness in between the brick walls. Josh instinctively ran after it, shouting to wait for him.

The figure was fast; Josh had a hard time keeping it in sight before it faded into the night. Although he could no longer see where it was, he knew it had to be straight ahead – there was no other path to take.

He found himself at the bottom of a stone barrier that stopped him from moving any further. He looked up to check if there was a ladder or anything that the figure could have used to get around it but found nothing. Josh felt the cold air settle on his face as he gazed at the moonlit sky. Whatever that thing was, it had escaped.

* * *

><p>"Heeeeeeeello everybody! This is 9:00 talk-radio with your host Steven Belwix! Today we have an exciting interview with the president of Dayos Entertainment, Mr. Cain Dayos! But first our opening songs! …"<p>

An unruly jingle played over the pleasant chirps from the window of Josh's room. Either the ice cream man was working earlier today or the radio station was set to play circus music. He couldn't tell.

Josh dragged himself out of bed, rubbing his head to pat down all his brown hair that stood up in random directions. While picking out what clothes to wear, he heard the radio return to the interview that was on before. They were talking something about rivers or streams. Josh was too tired to actually pay attention to it.

He opened the bathroom door, walking over to the sink to splash some water on his face. He figured that since he showered yesterday it wouldn't be a big deal if he skipped taking one today. It's not like anyone he knows, besides Dave, would be with them and since Dave was his roommate he knew that he wouldn't care.

Just as he was about to leave his room, he noticed his Card Analyzer lying on his desk. Figuring that he wouldn't understand anything that was going to happen today, he grabbed it and switched it on. He looked to his deck, which was held in a small compartment behind the device's screen, and closed the seal so none of the cards would fall out. It's not like he was planning to use it, but Dave would probably want to talk about his cards while they were waiting for his match to start.

Heading down the stairway he stepped over to the kitchen in search of his sweatshirt, finally finding it hanging over a chair by the counter. As he threw it on, he noticed Dave had forgotten his lucky hat. It was a simple baseball cap with a camouflage design, but he had hardly ever seen Dave leave the house without it even if he wasn't wearing it. He figured Dave was probably too nervous to remember it, so he scooped it up as he made his way to the front door. In less than an hour Dave would be on stage.

* * *

><p>When Josh arrived at the dome-like building, he found Dave patiently waiting by one the dragon statues near the entrance, separating himself from the large crowd outside.<p>

"Oh good, I thought I would have to leave without you," he said opening the door leading inside.

Josh smiled.

"Yeah, you left in a hurry. You forgot this," he said, waving the baseball cap in front of him. Dave's hands reflexively jumped to his head before calmly reaching for the hat.

"I guess I'm a little too excited about this."

The two laughed as Dave plopped the hat onto his dark brown hair, concealing it under the green cover.

"Hurry up," Dave said as he opened the door leading inside, "I'm not sure how long the reservation on our seats will last."

The two made their way through the wall of people, eventually reaching the sign where they had met at the day before. They took a right, heading for an arch-shaped hallway. There seemed to be less people in this area but that was probably because they were more spread out than they were in the vestibule.

After passing through the hallway they arrived in the arena. It was larger than Josh anticipated; he had a hard time believing they were standing in the same building they had entered. Dave tugged onto his sleeve, then the duo roamed around the bleachers until they found their seats.

"Third row, seats fourteen and fifteen. Yep these are ours." Dave dropped his body into seat number fifteen, motioning to Josh to sit in the seat next to him.

"When do you play against the others?" Josh asked sitting calmly.

"I dunno," Dave said staring at the stadium around them. He brought his attention to the platform in the center of the room. It was raised slightly off the ground, just high enough so the audience would be able to see the duelist standing on it without having to bend forward. Dave turned his head to Josh who was also glancing around. "As long as I get to duel I don't really care."

Dave and Josh chatted while they waited for the stadium to fill up. Apparently there was supposed to be some kind of an announcement before the tournament started. Maybe then Josh would be able to figure out whether or not these 'duels' are something worth getting involved in. Like Josh predicted, Dave was talking to him about his new deck.

"So what's your favorite kind of cards so far?"

Josh slid the pile out of his Card Analyzer, sliding each one out individually. "I'm not sure. I kinda like cards that Special Summon monsters."

"Oh there are plenty of decks like that," he said leaning over the armrest to get a better view of Josh's cards.

"Are there?" _He's gonna make me build a deck later isn't he?_

"Yeah. Let's go over to the card shop tomorrow, maybe we can build you a deck!"

_I knew it…_

At that moment the lights dimmed, and a spotlight shone onto the center of the stadium. On stage a man wearing a tuxedo and dark sunglasses stood in the middle holding a microphone. Josh looked around to see that every seat had been filled, except one. The one right next to Dave.

_Looks like someone's gonna miss the show,_ he thought. The announcer tapped on the microphone with his finger before holding it up to his face.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please! The Second Grand Championship Tournament is about to begin. But first we must go over the instructions for this event.

"All sixteen duelists will duel until they are eliminated either by losing all of their Life Points, surrendering or a Deck-Out –"

"When a player runs out of cards in their deck and can't draw anymore," Dave whispered to Josh.

"– and the winners will continue onto the next round. The top two finalists will be able to beta test a brand new line of cards that has recently been developed by Industrial Illusions. The winner of the final round will be able to duel none other than the owner of KaibaCorp and the host of this tournament, everyone please give a hand to the great, Seto Kaiba!"

Another spotlight shot onto the corner of the stadium's platform. A man in a white blazer walked arrogantly towards the announcer. The somber expression on his face gave him a detached aura, since he acted indifferent to the cheering that took place.

_So that's the host of this tournament_. Josh's thoughts were interrupted by a man who bumped into him trying to squeeze his way through the aisle. When he stood up to allow him to pass he noticed the man's leather jacket and his spikey hair that was overshadowed by the darkness around them. The man sunk into the seat next to Dave, leaving Josh to fall back to his.

_You could at least say 'Excuse me'…_

The man, who the crowd knew as Seto Kaiba, shook hands with the announcer. He handed the microphone to Kaiba who held it to his mouth. The noise almost instantly died down.

"That's right. The winner of this tournament will be able to duel me. However, don't expect this to be easy. Even if you make it the final round and defeat your opponent, you still won't hold the Championship title unless you manage to defeat me, which will never happen so long as I hold my Blue Eyes White Dragon cards.

"In a few seconds the pairings for the first round will be downloaded wirelessly into your Card Analyzers. Take a moment to go over your decks and feel free to walk around the building during and in between duels. All of the duels will be shown on the screens overhead in all rooms in this facility. Participants must be present on the stage within five minutes of the start of their round. If they don't show, then they'll be disqualified."

He paused dramatically, then shot his arm into the air, "Now let's duel!" The crowd began to shout mindlessly, flailing their arms as if they were trying to swat something invisible to everyone but them.

Dave turned on his Card Analyzer with Josh over his shoulder watching the download meter race across the screen. Once it reached the other end, a new file opened automatically.

Match Pairings (Round 1)

Match 1: Katherine Jadon vs. Geremy Valdito

Match 2: Hannah Werra vs. Paul Hillburg

Match 3: Maria Aloma vs. Joseph Phillips

Match 4: Adam Prince vs. Simon Phaze

Match 5: Rachael Torap vs. Dave Litenur

Match 6: Lucas Coffing vs. Jacob Front

Match 7: Mike Well vs. Sam Blirr

Match 8: Peter Grail vs. Chloe Grenshot

Commotion flowed throughout the area, each person discussing the duels in some way or another.

"Looks like you don't go on for a while," said Josh. Dave shoved the Card Analyzer back into his pocket.

"Yeah. You wanna go eat something while we wait? We got time."

"Sure."

* * *

><p>Now that the tournament had begun the cafeteria's kitchen started to cook meals for those watching the duels. Josh stumbled over to the end of one of the tables with a paper plate in each hand. Both plates held a slice of pepperoni pizza with their points hanging off the sides. He placed one plate down next to Dave, who was concentrating on his deck so intently that he didn't notice Josh until the smell of pepperoni had reached his nose.<p>

"So, how do ya feel?" Josh asked, taking a seat on the opposite side of the table.

"I'm fine," Dave said, running the cards back and forward between his fingers. "I'm not nervous if that's what you're asking. I just can't wait to use this deck. I've been building it for six years waiting for a day like this."

Josh took a bite out of his slice. "Really? What's so special about today?"

Dave put his deck back into his Card Analyzer and sealed the lid. He put it beside his plate and started eating as well. "Not so much the day, but the tournament. I'll finally be able to duel a famous duelist like Seto Kaiba.

"Ever since I learned that Kaiba had been defeated by Yugi Muto I've gotten interested in dueling with that dream. With that in mind I've built my deck so that it would be able to stand up against the powerful monsters that famous duelists like them use. It took me all this time but I think I have a good chance."

"So you think you can beat him?"

Dave nodded, he still had hardly touched his meal. "As soon as I found out about this tournament I've collected my best cards together. Just a few weeks ago I've gotten my hands on the card that will cripple Kaiba's most powerful monsters – the Blue Eye White Dragons."

Josh was about mid-bite when he stopped to speak. "Oh yeah he mentioned those things before. What's so special about them?"

"They're one of the most powerful Dragon-type monsters in the world. And he owns the only three copies in existence. It's his signature card."

"Signature card huh?" He said, chomping into his pizza.

"Yeah, most duelists have a card that they associate best with." Dave finally began to eat at this point. His voice indicated that he was really driven to win this tournament.

"If that's the case, what's yours?"

Dave stopped eating (which annoyed Josh a little because he bought the pizza for a reason) and smiled to himself. "Mine's called Black Luster Soldier," he paused to bite then placed the slice back down. "It matches the Blue Eyes White Dragon perfectly in strength and it's easier to summon than most monsters that strong."

"How's that?"

Once again Dave smiled to himself, "You'll see."

Overhead on a wide television screen, the current duel in the arena was being displayed. It showed the two duelists wearing their Duel Disks, placing cards on them, and the monsters on the cards would appear before the crowd.

"Hey Dave," Josh said watching the duel, "how are they able to bring out all these monsters. They're not real right?"

Dave laughed, "Of course not. The Duel Disk is just a hologram projector. You play the cards on them and they project the image with Solid Vision technology. It just makes the duels more exciting."

"Oh that makes sense." At least he knew that he wouldn't be bored watching people pick up cards and putting them back on a table. Now he understood why everyone was so into this game.

"And the winner is Maria Aloma!" The announcer shouted over the intercom, which echoed throughout the building. "Next up is Match Four: Adam Prince vs. Simon Phaze!"

Upon hearing this Dave turned to Josh, "We'd better hurry up. I don't want to be late."

Josh sat with an empty plate while he watched Dave devour his pizza in anticipation of his match.

* * *

><p>Dave hustled over to his seat while Josh dragged slowly behind. Josh noticed that the kid who bumped into him earlier wasn't in his seat, and figured he would have to deal with that again later. He sat down and gazed at the two participants who took the show.<p>

On the side closest to them was a skinny teenage duelist who appeared to have gotten up late this morning because his hair was standing straight up and curled unnaturally in the opposite direction of his head. Not only that but he yawned every four seconds, even while he spoke. In front of him was a gigantic version of a face-down card and a clown that wore red pajamas with a blue cape draping down its back. It also had a red double-pointed nightcap on top of its purple hair, which apparently obstructed its vision.

On the opposite side was a proud teenage duelist wearing a gray leather jacket. Unlike his opponent, his short, dark hair was gelled into perfect little spikes lined the top of his head. None of it appeared to go past his ears, except upon closer examination where Josh noticed a single thick piece of red hovered over the right side of his nose. He looked at the empty seat next to Dave, then back at this man and realized they must be the same person.

This duelist had a face-down card in front of him as well. Only instead of a clown, a purple dragon with yellow spikes on its wings stood readying to pouch on its enemy. Josh was about to check the score when he heard people talking behind him.

"This Adam kid is good."

"Yeah, it's only been three turns and he practically has the other guy in a corner."

"What was that kind of monster he keeps summoning from the Graveyard?"

"Oh those Fallen Monsters? I heard those were really rare, most people only own two or three."

"Yeah, I hear this guy has a whole deck full of 'em. Must be rich or som'thing."

Looks like Dave was going up against some tough competition. But certainly Dave knew more about his opponents than he did. Josh turned on his Card Analyzer to download the data from the current duel.

[Adam LP: (5600)] [Simon LP: (2200)]

He brought his attention back up to the stage watching the match unfold.

"I activate Block Attack! With it I can switch an Attack Position monster to Defense Position, and I pick my Dream Clown." The bed-headed boy, named Simon, took one of the cards he held and thrust it into his Duel Disk. A larger image of the card flashed to his side, then glowed extravagantly. In response to its glow, the clown knelt down, signifying a change in battle position.

"And since Dream Clown was changed from Attack to Defense Position, I can use its effect to destroy one monster on your side of the field. So say good-bye to your dragon!"

Clouds emitted from the clown's nightcap, growing bigger and bigger as they drifted away. When they were about half way between the two creatures, they became dark storm clouds that darted in the dragon's direction.

"I activate Fallen Koumori Dragon's effect," said Adam, pointing to the face-down card in front of him. "By destroying one face-down card I control I can negate your card's effect and destroy it."

The card ignited into a purple blaze which shot up into the air. It made contact with the storms clouds successfully reducing them to vapor as it traveled. When it reached Dream Clown, its nightcap caught on fire, causing it to dance around spastically. Eventually, the fire covered it entirely until ashes were left in its place.

"Whoa… he is good," Josh mumbled to himself. In the corner of his eye he could see that Dave shared his amazement. He couldn't tell exactly what he was thinking, but knew that this guy would be a major obstacle in accomplishing his goal.

Simon took a moment to absorb what happened in front of him. He flipped over a card on his Duel Disk then said, "Don't think I'm defenseless just 'cause you destroyed my Dream Clown. I activate Scapegoat."

The face-down card rose up, revealing a picture of four spherical sheep, in varying colors, floating in a field of clouds. At moment later, the sheep depicted on the card floated out, landing gently onto the stadium's floor. (0/**0**) [x4]

With a short yawn, Simon quickly switched to a grin. "Good luck getting past these guys. By the time you do I'll have a new strategy ready to defeat you."

"I don't need luck," Adam sternly stated as he pulled a card off of his wrist. "I sacrifice my Fallen Koumori Dragon in order to Special Summon Fallen Summoned Skull from my Graveyard."

Suddenly, the dragon dematerialized, forming into an orb of bright blue light. It changed to a yellow-ish shade then sparked towards the ground. When the static ended, a zombie-like figure floated a few inches above it. On its head, two tremendous horns curled out and back facing its nose. It flexed its powerful chest, thrust out its demonic dark blue wings and roared aimlessly at the sky. (**2500**/1200)

"Fallen Summoned Skull, attack one of his sheep. Lightning Strike!"

The monster roared again, this time generating sparks from its horns, shooting them towards the sheep with an ear-piercing bang. It crashed onto the blue sheep, who had no time to react before it had been obliterated. Simon, trembling, managed to pull himself together.

"I-It's not like it matters! My Sheep Token was in Defense Position so I don't take any damage."  
>"Not quite. When Fallen Summoned Skull destroys a Defense Position monster you take damage equal to the difference between its ATK and your monster's DEF."<p>

Simon gasped, staring at the meter on his Duel Disk until only a single digit remained.

[Adam LP: (5600)] [Simon LP: (2200 - 0)]

"The winner the Adam Prince!"

Uproar from the crowd answered the announcer's enthusiastic statement. It went on for several minutes, almost as long as when Kaiba had entered, as they watched Adam step off the ring.

"Next up is Match Five: Rachael Torap vs. Dave Litenur!"

Josh turned to Dave and stuck out his hand. "Go get'em man."

Dave slapped his own hand on top before fighting his way through the audience. Obviously the duel had made him nervous for his match but he hid it well. Not like it mattered, this was a special occasion. Finally Josh would see him duel.

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… Data Found:

**Fallen Summoned Skull**

[Dark]

[Fiend/Effect]

(2500/1200)

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can Special Summon itself from the Graveyard by offering 1 monster on your side of the field as a Tribute. You can only Special Summon 1 "Fallen" monster this way per turn. If a non-"Fallen" monster exists in your Graveyard, you may not Special Summon this card this way. This card's name is also treated as "Summoned Skull". When this card attacks with an ATK that is higher than the DEF of a Defense Position monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points.


	5. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

The crowd cheered as both duelists walked onto the stage. Dave took his position on the side opposite from his seat, so Josh had a direct view of him. His opponent was a girl dressed in a red and yellow plaid top and worn jeans. Both participants prepared their Duel Disks waiting for the announcer to signal the start of the duel.

During this pause, Josh noticed that the previous victor, Adam, was approaching. Unlike last time he did not cross Josh to get to his seat but went the other way around, to his relief. He didn't want anything interrupting his first live duel.

"Begin!"

With the announcer's word both duelist stuck their left arms out, showing off the design of the Duel Disks. The two platforms on each side swung over their hand and slammed together, receding along the left side of the device. The panels illuminated once it clicked into place, and both players immediately pulled five cards from the top of their wrists.

[Dave LP: (8000)] [Rachael LP: (8000)]

"I'll start this duel," she said in a southern accent. She drew a card, then slapped a couple of them onto her Duel Disk. "I place one monster in face-down Defense Position and two face-down cards. That's all for now."

Three holograms of the brown-backed cards appeared, two directly in front of her, the other slightly ahead of them. The only difference between this card from the others was that it was turned horizontally as opposed to vertically.

Dave drew a card from his deck before saying, "This shouldn't be too hard." He threw a card of his own the slot closest to his hand. "I summon Obnoxious Celtic Guard in Attack Position."

A larger image of the card shone onto Dave's side and a green-armored warrior dashed out, its purple cape trailing behind. It unsheathed its sword, gripping it tightly with both hands, readying for battle. (**1400**/1200)

"Obnoxious Celtic Guard, attack her face-down monster!"

The warrior charged forward with its sword poised. As it approached the face-down card, the hologram faded and was replaced by a pterosaur that held its wings close to its green, flame-covered body. (800/**1500**) Obnoxious Celtic Guard swiped its blade into the fire but the pterosaur blocked, causing sparks to fly out from the stalemate. After a moment, the pterosaur pushed the warrior away, knocking it back into the card image it had originally appeared from. [Dave LP: (8000 - 7900)]

"What just happened?" Dave asked, confused by his monster's disappearance.

"You attacked my Jurrac Ptera. When it's attacked your monster is returned to your hand and it gains 100 DEF times your monster's level."

Dave took the card off his Duel Disk, glancing at the number of stars on it. Four stars. (800/**1500 - 1900**) He felt his confidence drop but tried unsuccessfully to hide it from the audience. Placing two cards into two empty slots, he signaled the end of his turn.

Rachael pulled another card smirking to herself over her early lead. "I summon Black Veloci in Attack Position." A snarling velociraptor raced next to Jurrac Ptera, flexing to show off its spiked spine as well the feathers that streamed along its arms. She began to speak again but was cut off by her opponent.

"I activate my Counter Trap, Forced Back. This negates your monster's summoning and returns it to your hand."

One of his two face-down cards rose up and a surge of air shoved the dinosaur violently, eventually causing it to be knocked off its feet. It tumbled until the hologram dematerialized, and Rachael added the card back to her hand.

"Not bad."

In the sidelines, Josh had already stared typing in the words 'Counter Trap' into the Card Analyzer's search engine. He learned there were three types of Trap Cards, so this had to be the third one.

"Card Analyzer activated… Accessing Rule Database… Searching for: 'Counter Trap' … …. Data Found:

**Counter Trap Cards**

Counter Trap Cards are Trap Cards that usually are used to negate the activation of your opponent's card effects. It is recommended to have at least one of these in a Deck, as it is necessary to guarantee that your opponent's cards will be shut down, despite their one-time use. Most have a cost or a downside to using them because of the powerful effects they carry. Counter Traps are the fastest Trap Cards available, as they can only be countered by other Counter Traps."

Josh took this into consideration – he didn't think he could actually stop his opponent's move without any chance of failure.

"So you're a new duelist, huh?"

Taken aback from this comment, Josh searched the seats adjacent to his own. All of the other spectators were entranced by the duel, except for one. The duelist named Adam. He seemed far more mysterious close up; a feeling of absolute certainty exuded from his shoulders that made Josh suddenly feel three feet shorter.

"How'd you know that?"

Adam brushed the single strand of red hair off his nose, mixing it into his black thorn bush only to let it fall back into place. "Your Card Analyzer still says 'Input Name' in the top corner."

Without hesitation Josh's eyes darted to the top of the screen and saw the same words Adam had just mentioned. His face turned beet-red while his fingers scrambled to type in his name, then dropped the small computer onto his lap. Not only was this guy a good duelist, he was observant.

"Uh, yea, I started dueling yesterday while my friend was doing the Elimination Round."

"Don't worry about it, we all start somewhere." He slid a card out of his pocket, handing it to Josh. "Here, take this card. Even new duelists are able to use this card effectively."

Josh paused for a moment. Not out of fear or confusion – although it did seem weird that a top-rank duelist would randomly give a newbie a card for no reason. It wouldn't hurt to take it though, he seemed nice enough.

Quietly accepting the offer, he took a moment to let the card's details sink in. It depicted four hands, two on either side. Two of the hands held three cards while the others were outstretched and only held one each.

He looked back to Adam and asked, "What does this card do?"

"It's called Exchange. When it's activated both players pick one card in the other's hand and they trade it until the end of the duel." Adam crossed his legs. "If you have no other options this card can help you out of a bind. But don't use it if you don't want your opponent taking away a key card from you."

"Thanks." Josh slipped the card into his deck and put his Card Analyzer into his sweatshirt pocket.

"I'm guessing the guy up there is your friend?"

They turned back to the stage to see Dave waiting for his opponent to make her next move. Josh nodded.

"Yeah, this is the first time I've seen him duel, or anyone besides you really."

Adam stared at Dave, pondering. "He… has potential…"

_What the heck does that mean?..._ Josh wasn't sure how to answer. Feeling uneasy again, he sunk back into his seat trying to focus on the game in front of him.

Rachael shrugged. "Oh well, I'll still be able to do some damage." She selected a card from her hand, showing it to those across from her. "I activate Meteor of Destruction! Now you lose 1000 points!"

A bright star shined near the ceiling of the arena. Seconds later a flaming meteorite streaked across the room hurtling towards the ground. Caught in its path, Dave braced himself. The meteorite crashed into him at full force, causing a wall of fire to splash from its impact. Once the dust cleared, Dave, now covered in it, grit his teeth and winced from pain. [Dave LP: (7900 - 6900)]

Recovering from the blast, he grasped onto his deck. "I'm not gonna go down if you keep hitting me with cards like that!" He threw a vanilla-colored card onto the contraption on his arm. "I summon Dark Blade in Attack mode."

Shadows encircled the center of the battle field, intertwining into a single shape. Once they finished forming, a figure in black armor slowly floated until its entire body could be seen. Several sharp spikes protruded from every other inch of its armor, with two smaller horned spikes on the top of its helmet. It reached behind its red cape, pulling out two blades that glistened in the light. (**1800**/1500)

"Now I activate After the Struggle. When my turn ends all monsters that've been involved in a battle are destroyed. So I'll end my turn."

Jurrac Ptera growled from agony. On its wings a cut caused from the battle with Obnoxious Celtic Guard had been unveiled. Unable to handle pain it keeled over, smashing into tiny pieces as if it were made of glass.

"Not like I needed it anyway," Rachael said unflinchingly. "I discard Destroyersaurus from my hand to add Jurassic World from my deck to my hand."

She tossed it into the red slot above the Life Point meter, then pulled out her deck to search for the card mentioned. Once she found it, she shoved her deck back into her Duel Disk in order to continue.

"First I'll summon Black Veloci again in Attack Position." The velociraptor appeared before the audience once again, this time it roared from pleasure knowing that it would be here to stay. (**1800**/300) "Then I'll activate my face-down card Fossil Excavation. By discarding a card from my hand I can revive my Destroyersaurus from the Graveyard." She did so and the projection of the mentioned card flew in view.

Cracks began to form in the ground which spread at an incredible rate. As they became bigger the building started to shake uncontrollably, more violently as time passed. Once it came to the point where Josh was forced to hug the chair's armrests, a tyrannosaurus rex emerged from the floor. Rubble fell off the axe-shaped blade that lived on its head, onto its red-striped black skin, and gathered in a pile at its feet. (**1800**/1100)

_So she has two monsters that have the same ATK as mine,_ Dave thought. _What is she planning?_

"Finally I'll activate Jurassic World." A small compartment opened on the right side of the Duel Disk's blue platform. She put the card into the slot presented to her, and it closed once she moved her hand away.

For the second time the building shook, this time trees sprouted beside the stadium's platform soaring towards the ceiling. As they rapidly grew higher, dirt drifted along the floor until the stage became a prehistoric jungle. A volcano loomed behind Rachael with puffs of smoke hovering over its peak.

Dave looked around the room to see the audience bewildered by the scenery change. Even he was impressed, but he wouldn't allow this to overtake his judgment. "What did you do?"

"I decided to make things feel more like home."

He raised an eyebrow, "You live in a volcano?"

Rachael scowled at him, "Not for me! For my dinosaurs! When they're living in this jungle they each gain 300 ATK and DEF."

Dave brought his Duel Disk to his chest and pressed a button on the screen in between the Life Point meter and his deck. Apparently this device had another compartment where you could connect your Card Analyzer. On the screen he watched the number values of Rachael's monsters rise, just as she said they would.

[Black Voleci (**1800 - 2100**/300 - 600)]

[Destroyersaurus (**1800 - 2100**/1100 - 1400)]

"This isn't good," Josh whispered to himself, looking at the same information on his own Card Analyzer. When he looked at Dave again, he saw that he seemed indifferent. Was he prepared for this?

"Now Black Veloci, attack his Dark Blade!"

The velociraptor snarled before it dashed at its target. Dark Blade took a step back, poising its swords for a counterattack.

"And," Rachael continued as her monster charged, "When Black Veloci attacks a monster it gains more 400 ATK." (**2100 - 2500**/600)

Dave stretched his arm out. "I activate A Hero Emerges. Now you have to select one card in my hand. If it's a monster I can Special Summon it to the field." He held up his left hand, showing three cards evenly separated so each one could be easily distinguished.

Rachael examined the cards carefully. Not like it made a difference; she couldn't tell which card was which. "I pick the middle one."

"Good choice," he flipped it with his two fingers confirming that it was a monster. But not just any monster. "Welcome back, Obnoxious Celtic Guard!"

The warrior jumped out from where the Trap Card once was, landing at Dark Blade's side. (**1400**/1200)

Rachael snickered. "So you waste your trap to summon a weaker monster? Fine with me. Change of plans, Black Veloci! Attack his Celtic Guard!"

The dinosaur redirected its stride with an excited growl. Obnoxious Celtic Guard parried its sword as the dinosaur opened its mouth to bite. Chomping into the warrior's blade it groaned, seemingly dissatisfied with the taste. With a single swing the warrior fended off its predator, which took its place back at its master's side. Rachael's chin dropped seeing her opponent's monster survive.

"Wh-what? Why isn't your monster destroyed!"

"Because of its ability," Dave said. "If it's attacked by a monster with 1900 ATK or more it can't be destroyed. But I still take damage from the attack."

[Dave LP: (6900 - 5800)] [Rachael LP: (8000)]

An expression of avidity passed over Rachael's face and her lips formed into a wicked smile. "So, your monster can't be destroyed but you still take battle damage…" She straightened her back and laughed. "You've just dug yourself an early grave – Destroyersaurus, attack Obnoxious Celtic Guard!"

The T-Rex stormed towards Dave and his warriors, whipping its tail left and right as it trudged forward. When it came face to face with Obnoxious Celtic Guard, it tossed its head back, then thrust it down sending the axe attached with it. Obnoxious Celtic Guard managed to block with its sword in the nick of time, keeping the dinosaur's blade steadily in place. It pushed upward, successfully propelling Destroyersaurus in the other direction, but the recoil of this blow sent the warrior to its knees. [Dave LP: (5800 - 5100)]

"Looks like your monster's getting a little tired," said Rachael in a cocky manner.

Dave brushed this off. "I wouldn't worry about that." He showed her his most recent card, "I activate Black Luster Ritual. By offering Dark Blade and Obnoxious Celtic Guard, I can Ritual Summon Black Luster Soldier!"

"Ritual Summon?" Josh turned to Adam puzzled, "What's a Ritual Summon?"

Adam cupped his hands and placed them on his crossed leg. He never took his eyes off the duel as he spoke. "It's hard to explain quickly, look it up."

Somewhat hurt by this rejection Josh pulled out his Card Analyzer and typed in the subject of interest.

"Card Analyzer activated… Accessing Rule Database… Searching for Rule Data: 'Ritual Summon' … … Data Found:

**Ritual Summon**

A Ritual Summon is a type of Special Summon that is used to summon blue Monster Cards known as Ritual Monsters. To summon a Ritual Monster, a player must activate an appropriate Ritual Spell Card and send monsters from the hand or field whose levels are equal to or higher than the Ritual Monster's level. All Ritual Monsters have their own specific Ritual Spell Card that are used to summon them, but there are some Ritual Spell Cards that can be used in their place."

After reading this paragraph, Josh scratched his head and said, "There are way too many rules to this game…"

"You get used to it."

Back on the field, two torches appeared on either side of Dave's monsters. A blue symbol formed on the surface beneath them before shaping into something that resembled a shield with two blades crossed in front of it. Both of them took their blades, holding them parallel to their bodies with the tip of each near the noses. Flames from each torch engulfed them, leaving two pillars of blue fire slowly spreading until it covered the entire symbol's area. A swift gust blew over the flame, extinguishing it instantly.

Miraculously a warrior dressed in dark blue and golden armor stood in its place. Each hand held a weapon – in its left, a dark blue shield with a pattern that matched the symbol from the ceremony. In its right, a blade that curved forward, then back closer to its point. Three dark blue horns protruded from its helmet, one on each side and a third on the top. They branched up and out, hovering over the space behind its head. Its dark red ponytail also protruded from the back of its helmet, hanging just below the horns. The warrior brought the shield to its chest, sliced the air with its sword, aimlessly pointing it to the audience. (**3000**/2500)  
>At that moment Josh's ears perked up. This was the card Dave had said was most important to him. His signature card.<p>

"Black Luster Soldier, attack Black Veloci." Dave shouted. The soldier followed its instructions, quickly running to the dinosaur planning to use the momentum to strike. "And," Dave said while the crowd watched his monster race across the jungle, "When I checked the data on your cards I found out that when Black Veloci's attacked, it loses 400 ATK."

Realizing that her plan had been foiled, she grunted from anger. (**2100 - 1700**/600) When it came close to its target, Black Luster Soldier slashed with graceful accurate, causing the velociraptor's body to split in two. A streak of rainbow colors burst out from inside, before it disintegrated into holographic data. Rachael nearly tripped over her heels thinking that the warrior would charge into her, only to find that it stopped moving just a few steps before a collision would have occurred. Either way, she felt as if she had been stabbed herself. [Rachael LP: (8000 - 6700)]

Dave was showered with applause as Black Luster Solider hopped back to its spot on the field. Josh joined the others – he knew Dave had something up his sleeve, and now finally things were going in his favor. The image of a face-down card appeared behind his soldier as the clapping died down.

Rachael touched her hand to her heart, before putting the same hand onto her deck. "Good move but don't think I'm done yet." She took one card, holding it up so the crowd could see. "By sacrificing Destroyersaurus, I can Tribute Summon my Super-Ancient Dinobeast with only one tribute."

Destroyersaurus slowly disintegrated into dust, starting from its feet working its way up to its axe. When it disappeared completely, the outline of a new dinosaur shone. It smashed into place abruptly, causing a shockwave to boom throughout the building. No one could help but notice that its entire body was stone-gray with jagged edges at each corner. Its pasty yellow eyes glared at Black Luster Soldier as it lowered its triangle-shaped head, showing the tiny wings that barely reached past its back, and let out a fierce scream. (**2700**/1400)

"And since we're in Jurassic World, it gains 300 ATK and DEF." (**2700 - 3000**/1400 - 1700)

_They're evenly matched now,_ Josh thought. But since Dave didn't react to this he assumed that he had a plan to destroy it. After all, he said the Blue Eyes White Dragon was also evenly matched against his soldier, so he must have a backup plan.

"I'll play one card face-down and end my turn."

He drew a card, playing another into the Spell/Trap Card slot without any hesitation. "I activate Black Luster Sword and equip it to Black Luster Soldier."

The green card appeared and from it a sword floated out to Black Luster Soldier. It grasped onto it tightly, abandoning its own sword, and climbed its hand up to the top of the black handle. Swiping it once, the silver blade sparkled as it cut through the air.

"When my sword's activated, five Black Luster Counters are placed on it, and for every counter attached Black Luster Soldier gains 200 ATK."

A purple-ish blue glow emitted from several gems encrusted in the sword's handle. Its owner looked down to it, accepting the power it had been given. (**3000 - 4000**/2500)

"Black Luster Soldier cut her Dinobeast to shreds."

With blade in hand, the warrior dashed at the stiff dinosaur. It fought back by shooting a beam of energy at its opponent, but Black Luster Soldier blocked with its sword. With a strong thrust, the beam reflected back to the Dinobeast, piercing straight through its hardened skin. Being momentarily paralyzed from shock, it uttered a weak cry then collapsed into the rocks it was made out of. [Rachael LP: (6700 - 5700)]

Rachael, refusing to accept defeat, flipped one of the cards she had out on the field. "I activate my face-down card, Seismic Shockwave!"

Tremors rattled the stage floor, knocking Dave onto one knee. He planted his hands against the fabricated dirt in an attempt to stand. But any time he tried, he was immediately lurched forward. Meanwhile Rachael, seemingly impervious to the earthquake, entered some data into her Card Analyzer's touch screen as the tremors became more violent.

Soon Dave found himself rocking from side to side, nearly being thrown by the intensity. Thunderclaps were heard and the vibrations abruptly ceased. Dave staggered back to his feet, nodding his head to rid himself of any dizziness that the tremors had caused. He looked to his monster, who was unaffected by them. But something was wrong. To the left of his face-down card, three rectangular craters had appeared that were probably the result of the earthquake.

"What… what did you do?"

"It's because of the effect of Seismic Shockwave," Rachael pointed to her Trap Card, noting its presence. "For three turns three of your Spell and Trap Card Zones can't be used, and since you already have two other cards out you're restricted only to your Sword and your face-down card."

Dave examined the craters, then at his face-down card before returning his gaze to monster.

_They're all I need…_

"And after those three turns are up I can take one Dinosaur monster in my Graveyard and add it to my hand."

This reminded Dave of his own hand. It was nonexistent. He had used all of his resources to summon his Black Luster Soldier. If anything went wrong now he would have a hard time recovering. He took his bare hands, eyed their filth and clutched them into fists.

"Your move," he said. From the silence he could tell that the audience realized his problem as well.

"Alright." She drew, now holding two cards. For a second this relived Dave because even though he had no cards in his hand, he still had advantage over the field. This thought vanished with the activation of Rachael's other face-down card.

"I activate the Trap Card, Sixth Sense. Now you roll a die and I select two numbers. If the result is either of the selected numbers then I draw that many draws. But if it's a different number then I have to send that many cards to the Graveyard from the top of my deck."

This wasn't good – there was a one out of three chance that she would get hand advantage over him. And if that happened she would surely find a way to overpower his soldier. But thankfully the odds were in his favor.

"I pick five and six." On cue a blue cube dropped from the ceiling. It rolled down the middle of the arena, passing the two players as it went. It stopped near the edge of the stage landing with a thud. On its surface were five even spaced dots.

Dave quietly cursed at himself. Rachael fanned the cards in front of her face to taunt him.

"Now let's see. What to pick what to pick…" Pretending to look over her hand, she cocked her wrist. Gently slipping a card out with her fingers Rachael made her choice. "I Special Summon Gilasaurus in Defense Position with its effect."

A brown dinosaur flashed into view, bringing its long arms to the floor. It dug its claws into the ground in anticipation of a future battle. (1400 - 1700/**400 - 700**)

"And since it was Special Summon by its own effect, you can Special Summon a monster from your Graveyard."

This perplexed Dave. Why would she allow him to have another monster that could easily take down her dinosaur? Something wasn't right. He punched in the command into his Card Analyzer and an orange card ejected from the Duel Disk's red container. "I summon Obnoxious Celtic Guard."

The warrior leaped out from the crater closest to Dave. Both it and Black Luster Soldier readied themselves for what everyone knew was about to happen. (**1400**/1200)

"That thing again? Well it doesn't matter." She took another card throwing it into place. "I activate the Spell Card, Big Evolution Pill. By sacrificing Gilasaurus I'm able to Normal Summon Dinosaur-type monsters without needing to offer any tributes!"

A pill materialized at Gilasaurus's feet, who promptly slurped it into its mouth. It choked comedically, then started to glow until it was consumed by the dark green light. The aura grew, spreading across Rachael's entire side of the stadium. Eager to make her next move, Rachael shouted.

"Now that the stage is set I can summon Ultimate Tyranno, and because of Jurassic World it gets even stronger!"

The tremors began again, this time cracks encircled the center of the field until a new, larger crater was formed. A dragonic dinosaur rose up with a fierce, beastly howl that sent boulders zooming across the room (which passed through the audience since they were only projections). It remained in its crater until the dust faded, then stepped out with a boastful stride. (**3000 - 3300**/2200 - 2500)

"Isn't he beautiful?" Rachael said, admiring the dinosaur's height. Its head nearly hit the roof and, because of the shape of the building, only had enough room to keep it in that one spot. "And it gets even better. Because of its effect, it can and must attack all your monsters whenever I enter my Battle Phase."

_But my Black Luster Soldier is stronger than it. It'll just destroy itself._ He glanced at his monsters, then his face-down card, then the craters on the field. _It doesn't make sense…_

"I think its Battle Phase time. Attack his Obnoxious Celtic Guard!"

The dinosaur, unable to walk anywhere else without banging its head, lunged its torso at Obnoxious Celtic Guard. It opened its mouth, ready to devour the warrior in one gulp.

Obnoxious Celtic Guard felt the tremendous dinosaur's disgusting breath on its face as it drew close. With expert timing it lodged its sword in between the T-Rex's teeth, leaving it immobilized. Seeing this was getting it nowhere, Ultimate Tyranno gave up and let go.

"Oh that's right, your Obnoxious Guard can't be destroyed 'cause my monster's too strong, at least you still take damage."

Dave looked to his Life Points meter, watching the numbers drop significantly. [Dave LP: (5100 - 3200)] This didn't bother him because in the next attack he knew it would be destroyed.

The dinosaur brought its head back upright, roared again, then aimed its gaze at Black Luster Soldier.

"Don't think I forgot about your sword card," she said, showing a green bordered card. "I plan to get rid of it with the Quickplay Spell Card, Dino Stomp. When my Ultimate Tyranno starts to attack, this card allows me to destroy one Spell or Trap Card on your field."

Ultimate Tyranno slammed its foot into the ground, sending a shockwave throughout the building. The blast caused Black Luster Soldier to release its grip from the Black Luster Sword, which hit the ground shattering into thousands of tiny fragments. (**4000 - 3000**/2500) Without its weapon, the warrior was defenseless against the dinosaur's assault. The unarmed soldier stared into Ultimate Tyranno's throat awaiting its fate.

Just as Black Luster Soldier was about to become the dinosaur's next meal, Obnoxious Celtic Guard came to its aid. It stopped Ultimate Tyranno's attack with the same method it had used before. When it knew it was in a stable position, it glanced over its shoulder back at its partner and gave an assuring nod.

"What?" Rachael shook her in disbelief. "I ordered you to attack Black Luster Soldier not Obnoxious Celtic Guard! What gives!"

"It's because I activated my Trap Card," Dave said. It had gone unnoticed by most because of the dinosaur's volume. "When I have two monsters on my side of the field and one of them is attacked, I can use Covering Fire to combine their ATK power until the end of the battle."

Black Luster Soldier took this opportunity to unsheathe its original blade, and pounced up over the dinosaur's head. Because Celtic Guard's sword was stuck in its teeth, it wasn't able to move in time. Black Luster Soldier used the speed from its fall to increase the lethality of its strike. With their combined efforts, Ultimate Tyranno was powerless. (**3000 - 4400**/2500)

Piercing straight through its head, Black Luster Soldier landed on top of its partner's sword, dislodging it from the monster's jaw. The two dashed away from Ultimate Tyranno as it collapsed onto the ground, turning into dust upon crashing. With their task completed the two shook hands and took their stance waiting for their next command.

[Dave LP: (3200)] [Rachael LP: (5700 - 4600)]

"I don't believe it." Rachael stared at the ground where her king dinosaur once stood. Her eyes trailed back until they reached her feet. She brought her hand into view but dissatisfaction set in. She threw her arm to her side then said, "Your turn."

All the tension that had built up during this duel disappeared with Dave's final draw. He took the single card in his hand, flipped it with his thumb and at that moment Rachael knew it was over.

"I activate The Warrior Returning Alive, this allows me to take one Warrior monster in my Graveyard and add it to my hand." He tossed the card into the Graveyard slot and in exchange it spat out his Dark Blade card. "Return to my side, Dark Blade!"

Like Obnoxious Celtic Guard, it leaped out from the crater in front of its master, landing in between the two comrades it had left behind. They brought their swords together that shone against the lights overhead.

"Obnoxious Celtic Guard, Dark Blade, Black Luster Soldier, attack her directly!"

The three warriors withdrew their swords from the others and charged side-by-side at their target. Then, in unison, they swiped theirs swords at Rachael, leaving a mark that formed a perfect triangle. She fell backwards and slammed her hindquarters against a tree, which dematerialized along with the rest of the illusions created for the game. Dave had won.

[Dave LP: (3200)] [Rachael LP: (4600 - - - 0)]

Cheers from the crowd started up again and commenced until Dave had left the stage. Josh joined in, enthusiastically clapping along with the rest of them. He laughed from joy, and went to express his happiness to Adam. But he was unable to do so. When he turned around Adam was gone.

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… Data Found:

**Black Luster Sword**

[Spell/Equip]

This card can only be equipped to a monster with "Black Luster" in its name. When this card is activated, place 5 Black Luster Counters on this card (max. 10). For every Black Luster Counter on this card, increase the equipped monster's ATK by 200 points. If the monster equipped is targeted by a monster's attack, remove 1 Black Luster Counter from this card to negate it. If there are no more Black Luster Counters on this card, destroy it.


	6. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

"Let Round Two begin! First up is Dave Litenur vs. Lucas Coffing!"

Dave, already prepared for the duel, waited patiently for his next opponent to arrive. The announcer also waited, looking to his watch every so often to make sure that Lucas made the deadline. Just as he was about to disqualify him, another teenage boy dressed in dark clothes ran onto the stage.

"Sorry I'm late. The lines were backed up."

He whipped out his Card Analyzer, shoved it into his Duel Disk, automatically activating its platforms. The two combined into a single unit and lights came to life on its surface. On the other end, Dave's did the same. They both collected five cards in their left hands, then simultaneously shouted "Duel," sending the crowd into a frenzy.

[Dave LP: (8000)] [Lucas LP: (8000)]

"I'll start," Dave said. Even with the new addition to his hand he found that he didn't have many options. Luckily he had a stall tactic in mind. "I summon Black Luster Guard in Defense Mode."

The card's projection appeared horizontally on the ground in front of him. Lights spiraled from the square depicted on it, creating a hurricane of twinkling energy. When it faded an army soldier sat on the card, holding a long rectangular shield that hid the rest of its body from view. Only those on Dave's side of the arena could see that the soldier was wearing black and gold armor. On its helmet a pattern matching the shield's design rested on its forehead. (200/**1800**)

"When Black Luster Guard is summoned, four Black Luster Counters are automatically placed on it."

The shield's gems, each positioned so that they marked the corners of a perfect square, began to glow a golden yellow. Although nothing else about the shield had changed, the extra golden color seemed to enhance its defensive capabilities.

"I activate my Black Luster Guard's effect," Dave slid his finger along his Card Analyzer's screen, then pointed at his monster to continue his explanation. "By removing a Black Luster Counter from it, I can Special Summon a Black Luster Guard Token. And I'll do this four times."

The shield's light separated from each gem, which flew to either side of the guard. The lights hovered over the ground for several beats, then exploded in a contained area. The lights took on physical shape, eventually creating four replicas of the original Black Luster Guard. (200/**1800**) [x4]

"With that I'll end my turn."

Lucas drew, placing his new card with the others. "So you have a defense system in place already? Good move." He contemplated a bit before starting his turn. "Come on out, Noble Sage – Hex!"

A hooded sorcerer teleported onto the field in a puff of smoke, gently floating towards the ground with its blue robes hanging slightly over its feet. It landed, crossing its arms, allowing its sleeves to wrinkle in the process. (**1600**/1300)

"Since he's not strong enough to destroy your guards, I'll give him the Book of Secret Arts to give him a boost."

The Spell Card gleamed next to Lucas, sending a green book flying into the sorcerer's hands. It opened the book to a page bookmarked with a quill, read it over, and used its newfound knowledge to increase its strength. (**1600 - 1900**/1300 - 1600)

"Now get rid of his Black Luster Guard," he shouted, directing the attack at the original monster. In response the book emitted a green glow, which replicated in the spellcaster's opposite hand. It extended its arm, releasing the energy, sending it across the arena. Black Luster Guard prepared its shield. The light from the blast gleamed off from its visor as it drew close. Unfortunately, the guard's defenses were not strong enough and it shattered into bits of data.

Dave gritted his teeth, looking back to his hand. _I can't wait for too long._

"Now I set two face-down cards and end my turn." The holograms appeared as instructed. Hex brought its hand back to its side.

"My draw." Dave pulled a card, only to see it was a Spell Card, to his dismay. He glanced over his hand once again, determining what would be the best course of action. _Within three turns he could easily break through my defenses. I gotta make a move before that happens._ He figured he could bluff a card, and set a useless Trap Card face-down before gesturing his turn's end.

"Alright, I'll summon Noble Sage – Nelit in Attack mode." Another robed sorcerer teleported into existence. Unlike Hex, Nelit's robes were green and its dark brown beard could be seen, protruding into a point near its chest. (**1500**/1200)

"Next I'll activate Shield Crush, which allows me to destroy one Defense Position monster you control."

The green bordered card reappeared to Lucas's left in an instant and a bright blue energy sphere formed where the picture should have been. Once it finished charging, it burst out of the card, ramming into one of the Black Luster Guards' shield. The blast ceased, revealing that it created several cracks in the warrior's weapon, breaking it into fragments, followed by the destruction of the warrior itself.

"Now Hex, take out a third Guard!"

As ordered the sorcerer extended its arm again, shooting the green energy beam created by the spell from its book. Another Black Luster Guard Token had been obliterated, kicking up dust from where it once stood.

With three of his guards gone, only two remained. Dave looked pass the sorcerers, beyond his opponent, and gazed into the stands where he could see his seat. He saw the duelist, Adam, sitting in the seat next to his, but the two nearby were empty.

_Where's Josh?_

* * *

><p>Exiting from the men's room, Josh returned into the packed vestibule of the main room. He made his way through the crowd, consciously avoiding the long lines of people that stood waiting for their turn.<p>

_I'm glad I got out of there alive._ He looked back to the men's room as he walked past the cafeteria doors. The line stretched from the doorway, wrapping around the curved walls of the circular building, leaving only a few gaps for people to walk in and out of the arena's halls. _This place is a mad house._

Just as he turned to head back to the arena, a group of people dressed in blue uniforms cut him off, one of them bumping into him with a thud.

_Oww…_

"Sorry kid." The man stepped back. Once Josh saw his cap and the badge pinned onto his shirt he realized that he was a cop. "Didn't mean to run you over."

"It's no problem," Josh said respectfully. If there's no one else in the world he felt he could trust it was the police. Although his friends in high school had always spoken badly about them, they had an air of authority that made him feel safe. And rightfully so.

One of the officers up ahead called back at them. "Nathan, hurry up. We need to find that deck!" They watched the officer run again, then the man faced Josh.

"If you'll excuse me." He tipped his hat in goodbye, and followed the others through the cluster of people.

Josh walked back down his original path, wondering why the police were here. Well, the place is crowded, so maybe it was just a security measure in case of a fire. But they said something about a deck… Maybe someone in the tournament lost their deck. That would make sense. In a building like this, things could easily go missing. Settled with this thought, Josh rushed down the hallway leading into the arena. He just hoped he didn't miss anything while he was gone.

* * *

><p>Back on stage, Dave drew another card, angered by poor luck streak. If this continued his dream of dueling Kaiba would go down the drain. He couldn't let that happen. But at the moment all he could do was wait.<p>

"Really? Skipping a turn on me? I guess this will be easily than I thought it would," Lucas joked. The comment stung Dave but he let it off with a grunt. "Hex, take care of another guard."

Hex did as it was told. This time, it used its powers to lift one of the guards into the air, only to smash it against the floor. Pieces of the guard's armor and shield flung up from the collision, and the warrior was no more.

"Your go."

At that moment Josh returned to the stands. He saw Dave's monster being attacked upon entry and saw its destruction by the time he had reached his seat, where he had asked Adam what he missed.

"Nothing really," he said, flicking a speck dirt off his worn jeans, "I just got back here myself, but it seems like your friend's being waiting for you."

"What do you mean?" Josh asked, sitting.

"He summoned a monster on his first turn and used its effect to stall. Other than that, all he's done is watch his monsters get man-handled and occasionally stare in this direction." At that moment Dave did exactly that. Josh looked to Adam, who was examining Lucas's spellcasters, then sent his gaze Dave's way. Dave answered with a subtle twitch of his hand, bringing it to his Duel Disk.

"Alright," Dave began, "_now_ I'll take you on." The notion confused Lucas slightly, but no one else other than him and Josh seemed to acknowledge this statement. "I summon Black Luster Warrior."

A young warrior appeared on the stage, its armor strikingly similar to Black Luster Soldier's. The difference was mostly in its helmet, since it only had one spike that swung back instead of three branching spikes. Unlike Black Luster Soldier, this monster did not wield a shield and its hair was covered. It grinned at its opponents, anxiously holding its sword with both hands. (**1600**/1000)

"Finally, a challenge," Lucas remarked. "Too bad it's not strong enough."

"Not alone it's not. I activate The A. Forces." The Spell Card flashed into sight, depicting several warrior-like monsters standing belligerently in front of a wavy force field, as if they were waiting for something on the other side.

"Card Analyzer activated," Lucas's Card Analyzer recited with a press of a button, "Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data: 'The Allied Forces' … … Data Found:

**The A. Forces**  
>[SpellContinuous]

For every face-up Warrior-Type and Spellcaster-Type monster on your side of the field, increase the ATK of all Warrior-Type monsters on your side of the field by 200 points."

He pressed another button which brought up a new screen, showing the stat changes.

[Black Luster Warrior (**1600 - 2000**/1000)]

[Black Luster Guard Token (200 - 600/**1800**)]

"Black Luster Warrior, attack his Noble Sage – Nelit!"

Eagerly, the warrior dashed at the target monster in a grateful stride.

"Not so fast!" Lucas called. "I activate Hex's effect. Once per turn I can select one face-down Spell or Trap card you control and activate it as if it was my own!"

_What?_ Dave watched in amazement as his face-down card rose up against his will.

Just as Black Luster Warrior was about to cross the half-way mark, a line of security officers appeared to block its path. They took their clubs and fended the warrior off, and when they were through, they turned to the Noble Sages who knelt down voluntary. Once they saw that Black Luster Warrior was doing the same, they walked back into the card, which dematerialized immediately.

"Looks like that card was No Entry!, so now all monsters on the field are switched to Defense Position."

"I know how the card works," Dave grumbled, tossing it into the Graveyard's slot.

"If the card couldn't be activated at the time I would've taken damage. I guess I lucked out." He laughed, noticeably angering Dave, who continued his turn.

"I set a card and end." _Impressive, I gotta be more careful._

"Alright, I summon Noble Sage – Krytra." A third robed figured warped in between in other two. This sorcerer's robes were red, matching the lipstick on its feminine face. (**1700**/1400) Lucas moved his cards on his Duel Disk, and the kneeling sages stood up changing to Attack Position. "Hex, finish off that last guard!"

Using its magical abilities it lifted the final guard into the air, who squirmed around trying to break out of Hex's force. Before it could realize that it was no use, Hex slammed it against the floor, just as it did to the others.

Because Dave had less Warrior-type monsters on the field, his other warrior would lose ATK. Not that it mattered, it was going to be destroyed regardless.

[Black Luster Warrior (2000 - 1800/**1000**)]

"Nelit, it's your turn!" On command Nelit gathered green energy on its hands as it circled them in front of him. Once his hands crosses paths, an X-shaped beam flew at Black Luster Warrior, slicing it into four perfect pieces before it was reduced to data.

Dave subconsciously brought his arms closer to his chest. The next attack was for him.

"Now Noble Sage – Krytra, attack him directly!"

The newest spellcaster clapped its hands together, closing its eyes as if it were praying. After a moment of silence it pointed both of its index and middle fingers at Dave, and a streak of bright red light shot at him. Dave took the hit, sliding back until he reached the end of the stage. Thinking he would fall over, he leaned forward just as the assault ended. He grimaced, slowly trudging back to the duel.

[Dave LP: (8000 - 6300)] [Lucas LP: (8000)]

_I better take out at least one of his sages before I make any big moves._

He looked to his newly drawn card, which depicted an orange beam of energy bending around a mirror-like sphere, deflecting it back where it came from. _I could attack then set Mirror Force to get rid of Noble Sage – Hex._ He glanced up at the blue robed sage, remembering its special ability. _I have to attack first so he doesn't use it against me._ Pulling a monster card out, he placed it onto his Duel Disk, causing it to flash in response.

"I summon Obnoxious Celtic Guard." The green-armored warrior from Dave's last duel returned to the stage, parrying its sword to intimidate its foes. (**1400**/1200) "And since it's a Warrior-type monster, it benefits from The A. Forces's boost."

The energy depicted on The A. Forces's card circled the Celtic Guard until it was covered in a wavy aura. (**1400 - 1600**/1200)

"Obnoxious Celtic Guard, get Nelit out of my sight!"

Obnoxious Celtic Guard drew its sword close to its body, dashing forward as it let out a battle cry. On the other side, Nelit grinned to itself and looked over to Krytra. It nodded in comprehension, bringing its right hand just above its chest. After mumbling a few words, a sudden burst of spiritual energy enveloped the warrior, momentarily freezing it in place, discoloring its features to a depressing shade of gray.

"Oh," Lucas began cockily. "Did I mention that Krytra's effect allows me to pick the attack target once a turn?"

Dave gasped angrily as he watched his warrior's body shift direction, angled so that it was facing Hex instead. Once it was positioned precisely, Krytra released the Celtic Guard from its spell, allowing it to resume its attack.

Obnoxious Celtic Guard rushed at Hex and swung its blade, only to realize it hit the wrong target. At the last second, Hex caught with the blade with an energy-charged hand, successfully blocking the strike. It pushed the blade out of the way to prepare its counterattack. Using the momentum from Hex's push, Obnoxious Celtic Guard spun around as Hex fired another energy beam. With expert timing the warrior whipped its sword in front of its face, deflecting the energy beam at the ceiling causing the move to fail. Before Hex could attack again, Obnoxious Celtic Guard ran back to Dave to regroup. [(Dave LP: 6300 - 6000)]

"Since Hex has 1900 ATK, my warrior can't be destroyed in a battle against it," Dave stated firmly. He knew that the damage from the attack wasn't that severe, but if the attack went to Krytra instead he would have been without a monster next turn. He was getting sloppy and Lucas knew it. He quietly set down the Mirror Force trap and motioned to Lucas to continue the duel.

Once Lucas added the newly drawn card to his hand, he snickered to himself in amusement.

"This just got good. Time for a fourth Noble Sage. I summon Noble Sage – Arur in Attack Mode." Another feminine sage teleported beside the others; this one wore bright yellow robes. It brushed its long, brown hair away from its eyes and formed an energy sphere in the same hand immediately after fixing its appearance. (**1400**/1600)

"I'm really getting tired of these Noble Sages," Dave muttered under his breath, but Lucas still understood what his grunts meant.

"Hey Adam," Josh asked, snapping Adam's attention away from the duel. "I just thought of something. Why does this guy keep using Noble Sage cards?"

Adam drummed his fingers against his armrest as he spoke. "Most people tend to prefer certain cards over others. Sometimes they prefer a specific series of cards, like my Fallen cards and this guy's Noble Sages. Others build a deck around a specific type like Spellcasters, Warriors and Dragons."

"Oh, so it's like how that girl Dave dueled only used Dinosaur-like cards."

"Right. But a series of cards usually relate to each other in some way. So these cards are all Spellcasters with 'Noble Sage' in each of their names. People tend to build their deck revolving around a certain theme," he nodded his head at Dave. "Your friend seems to favor Black Luster cards judging from his play-style. They're all warriors that focus on securing dominance on the field. Meanwhile his opponent is using Noble Sages, which focus on using the opponent's resources against them."

_So that's why Dave is struggling so much, using your opponent's cards must take a lot of skill._ He focused on Dave, saw his discouragement in his stance, but was soon distracted by another thought. _This guy seems to know a lot about different cards._

"Hey Adam."

Adam turned his head, making eye contact with Josh. "Yeah?"

"I gotta ask, how do you know so much about this game?"

Adam looked back to stage, watching Lucas type a command into his Card Analyzer. "Just practice. And watching others play. It's easier to read into your opponent's strategy if you're not facing them in a duel."

Josh took note of this. _I should warn Dave about that._

"So what's your favorite kind of card so far?"

The question surprised Josh, since he thought the conversation had already ended. "I dunno. I kinda like cards that Special Summon. I dunno about the specific type of cards yet."

"Special Summons huh?" A microscopic smile formed above Adam's chin. "That's what my cards revolve around. Fallen monsters are mostly Warriors, but my favorite ones are Dragons. You don't have to restrict yourself to one type of monster either, just use whatever cards work for you."

"Thanks."

Adam nodded and the two returned their attention to the duel.

Lucas punched the final button into his Card Analyzer, ready to make his move. "I activate Nelit's effect. By paying 500 Life Points I can look at one of your face-down cards." [(Lucas LP: 8000 - 7500)] "Now let's see what we have here."

Nelit raised its arms straight out, the energy surrounding its hands extending until it reached Dave's face-down card. The green energy twinkled along the card's perimeter for a few seconds before the card was revealed to be Mirror Force. Again, Dave silently kicked himself for not checking his opponent's cards before choosing his strategies.

"Mirror Force, is it?" Lucas seemed unfazed by the card's disclosure. He picked out a new card, throwing it into a random slot on his Duel Disk. "I activate Magicians Unite. Since I have more than one Spellcaster-type monster on the field, I can increase one of their ATK to 3000 until the end of the turn." He pointed to the designated monster. "And I choose Nelit for this effect."

The team of sages began to chant in unison, gathering energy in between each of their palms. Nelit stepped forward, holding its hands farther apart. The other three sages gently pushed their energy at Nelit's own energy sphere, allowing them to merge into a swirling rainbow of power. (**1500 - 3000**/1200)

"The only drawback is that my other monsters can't attack this turn."

Murmurs among the crowd started to spread. Dave could guess their thoughts. _He's still going to attack?_ Confirming everyone's guesses, Lucas pointed a finger at Dave's monster.

"Now Nelit, attack his Obnoxious Celtic Guard!"

Nelit extended its arms, releasing the energy in a large beam of spiraling colors. Calmly, as the beam drew close, Dave flipped over his already revealed Trap Card.

"I activate Mirror Force. Since you declared an attack, all your Attack Position monsters are automatically destroyed."

A glimmer of light flashed over an invisible barrier surrounding Dave and his monster, exposing the trap's presence. Lucas smirked as he pulled out a card from his Duel Disk, presenting it to everyone.

"I activate the Counter Trap, Glass Shatter," he tossed it back into its original slot, allowing its hologram version to rise. A strange, swift force pushed the energy beam, causing it to accelerate faster than when Nelit had unleashed it. "When you activate a Trap Card that activates in response to an attack, I can negate its effect and any damage you would receive from the battle is doubled!"

The beam smashed through his barrier, sending jagged shards of glass flying around the room. Dave couldn't hold back his consternation. Without missing a beat, the beam plowed into Obnoxious Celtic Guard, who had little time to prepare for the attack. It blocked with its sword but the force of the beam deluged it, sending it skidding backwards until it collided with Dave. They both slid until they reached the end of the stage, where they grunted from the unexpected strength of the blow.

With the end of its attack, Nelit brought its hands back against his chest, the combined power of those behind it still swirling at his fingertips. Obnoxious Celtic Guard slowly walked back to its spot on the stage, but Dave stayed in place. He was clearly shaken up. His eyes immediately found the number on his Duel Disk, glaring at it.

[Dave LP: (6000 - 3200)] [Lucas LP: (7500)]

Before Dave could make a move, Lucas flipped over another card, and its hologram did the same. "And since Nelit is a Spellcaster monster, the Trap Card Enlightenment allows it to attack again!"

_What!_

The rainbow energy spiraled rapidly in Nelit's hands, doubling in size within seconds. It promptly unleashed the beam, shooting it straight ahead. Dave was the first to react – he dove to the side, slamming against the floor. Obnoxious Celtic Guard, unaware of the second attack, got hit full force in the chest. The blast pushed the warrior until it fell onto its back. Dave glanced over his shoulder at his monster. If he had stayed in place he would have surely been knocked off the platform.

Dave and the green-armored warrior stood up weakly, trying to steady themselves before returning to the game. Lucas chuckled cockily.

"One turn left then this game is mine!"

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… Data Found:

**Black Luster Guard**

[Earth]

[Warrior/Effect]

(200/1800)

When this card is summoned or flipped face-up, place 4 Black Luster Counters on this card (max.4). By removing 1 Black Luster Counter from this card, you can Special Summon 1 "Black Luster Guard Token" (Earth; Warrior; (200/1800); **) to the field in Defense Position. These tokens can only be used for a Tribute summon, Fusion summon, Ritual Summon or Synchro Summon for a "Black Luster" monster.

**Noble Sage – Hex**

[Wind]

[Spellcaster/Effect]

(1600/1300)

Once during either player's turn, you can activate 1 Set Spell or Trap card on your opponent's side of the field as if it were your own. If it is a Continuous Spell or Continuous Trap card then its effect returns to your opponent the turn this effect is activated. If the Spell/Trap card cannot be activated at this time, Set it face-down and you take 500 damage.


	7. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six**

[Dave LP: (3200 - 1800)] [Lucas LP: (7500)]

Dave knew the damage he had taken this round was significant, but failed to realize how many Life Points he had lost until he looked at the damage calculator on his Card Analyzer. Lucas was right. If he made any more mistakes this would be it.

_You got this Dave,_ Josh thought. He could tell that last blow had embarrassed Dave. Even in a game like this, how often do you get knocked onto the floor?

With another card, the duelist scanned his hand with new determination. _No more messing around._ He slapped a card onto his Duel Disk with a defiant swing of his arm.

"I summon Marauding Captain in Attack mode!"

A blond warrior marched out carrying two long swords, one in each hand. Its silver cape rested elegantly against its teal armor as it crossed its swords together, showing pride in them. (**1200**/400)

_Hey, I have a card like that._

Josh brought his deck out of its container, being careful not to drop any of his cards. If he lost any here, he'd probably never see them again. He searched through it until he found the most recently summoned monster. It was a common card, since it didn't having any shiny lettering or holographic picture, but if Dave was using it then it must be good.

"When it's Normal Summoned its effect activates, allowing me to Special Summon a Level 4 or lower warrior from my hand." He flashed the intended monster. "I'll use Black Luster Knight!"

Another black-armored warrior appeared from its card's borders. This one bared a strong resemblance to Black Luster Soldier; however, the design of its armor consisted of golden streaks around the edges of each piece. A single golden horn protruded just above its forehead, curving around until it was inches from the back of the warrior's neck. A black cape flowed down below its helmet, consuming its entire back in a veil of darkness. (**1400**/1200)

"And when my Black Luster Knight is summoned, it gains two Black Luster Counters."

Two of the five streaks illuminated brightly on the edges of its gauntlets as the warrior unsheathed its sword. The crowd stared in awe at the warrior, watching it majestically swaying it out in a single motion. Lucas noticed their awe, but refused to acknowledge it. Dave directed everyone's attention to the Spell Card hovering a few feet away from him using his free hand.

"And since I have two more warriors, my A. Forces card increases all of my monster's ATK power. But I'm not done yet!"

[Obnoxious Celtic Guard (**1600 - 2000**/1200)]

[Marauding Captain (**1200 - 1800**/400)]

[Black Luster Knight (**1400 - 2000**/1200)]

Dave slipped another card into his Duel Disk. The crowd watched eagerly awaiting for his move to reach its peak.

"Next up is the Equip Spell, Sworn into the Army and I'll attach it to Obnoxious Celtic Guard."

Miraculously, a small medal appeared just under Obnoxious Celtic Guard's left shoulder. It glistened from the arena's lighting, causing the tiny metallic circle to glare.

"A monster equipped with Sworn into the Army is treated as if it were Black Luster Soldier," Dave stated confidently. To Josh he seemed to become suddenly impatient with himself since Dave immediately began his next move without any hesitation.

"Now I activate Black Luster Knight's effect. By removing a Black Luster Counter from it I can increase the ATK of all my 'Black Luster' monsters by 200 points each. And since my Obnoxious Celtic Guard is treated as Black Luster Soldier, it reaps the benefits as well."

The light faded from one of the streaks on the warrior's gauntlet, only to remerge in the form of an aura that surrounded both it and Obnoxious Celtic Guard. The aura vanished as quickly as it came, but the support it gave remained.

[Obnoxious Celtic Guard (**2000 - 2200**/1200)]

[Black Luster Knight (**2000 - 2200**/1200)]

"Black Luster Knight, destroy Noble Sage – Hex with Sword Penetration!"

Black Luster Knight gripped its blade tightly as it ran toward Hex, bringing its arm back, taking aim with its sword. It yelled to intimidate its foe but the sage wasn't fazed by the battle cry. Just before the knight was about to impale Hex, its body froze and the golden color on its armor turned gray. Hex calmly stepped aside, leaving the statue of a warrior on center stage.

"Did you forget already?" Lucas cocked his head at the red-robed spellcaster, who was chanting silently. "Noble Sage – Krytra can stop your attack long enough for Hex to switch places with another monster. This time I'll have Nelit take the hit."

The green-robed sage bravely stepped in front of its adversary, anticipating its death. When the time came, Krytra undid the spell, allowing Black Luster Knight to slay Nelit with a sharp shove of its blade. Despite its groans, Nelit smiled as if to say that its sacrifice was not in vain. Black Luster Knight retreated to Dave as the sage fell over and gave its last breath. [Lucas LP: (7500 - 6800)]

Dave adjusted his hat from the rim. "I didn't forget." His emotionless stare unexpectedly pierced through Lucas. "Since Noble Sage – Krytra used its effect already, I can pick any monster I want for my next attack." He thrust his finger at Hex, shouting. "Celtic Guard get rid of Hex once and for all!"

On cue the warrior dashed out to slay the targeted monster; it paused a moment before stabbing to ensure the blow was fatal. Then, it slayed the sage with a quick movement and it dissolved into the air. Dave was on a roll. [Lucas LP: (6800 - 6500)]

"Now Marauding Captain, take out Krytra!"

"Not quite."

Marauding Captain began to move as instructed, but the second it took its first step a mysterious pillar of light surrounded it. It continued to charge forward but the pillar was immovable. Eventually the captain gave up and the pillar vanished instantly.

"Each turn Arur casts a spell that prevents you from attacking with a certain amount of monsters, depending on the number of 'Noble Sage' monsters I control when you began your Battle Phase." Lucas lifted up four fingers to prove his statement. "Since I controlled four 'Noble Sages,' only two of your monsters can attack this round."

"Then I guess it's your turn," said Dave. For the first time over the course of the duel he felt completely calm. Josh assumed it was because he finally had complete control over the field, just as Adam said he would. Nothing could stop him now.

Lucas drew. His disappointment was evident from his movements as he placed a monster horizontally on his Duel Disk. "I summon Noble Sage – Xeyoi in Defense Mode."

Another male sage clothed in orange robes knelt in between its female counterparts. (1800/**1000**) The two followed its lead, kneeling down beside it as well.

"And I switch my other Noble Sages to Defense Mode as well and end my turn."

"Alright." As Dave added a card to his hand, a weird fog started to encircle his left arm. This failed to surprise him, though. "I'm guessing this is Xeyoi's doing?"

"You guessed right. If you have three or more cards in your hand Xeyoi makes one card unusable for the rest of the turn."

"That's too bad." Dave lifted his hand, showing the cards he held. "'Cause I only have two cards in my hand this turn."

Lucas blinked as the fog surrounding Dave dissipated. He knew this was the beginning of the end. More confident now than ever before, Dave continued his turn by throwing a Spell Card into a random slot.

"I activate Black Luster Helmet. Since my Sworn into the Army card treats Obnoxious Celtic Guard as a 'Black Luster' monster I'll give it to him."

A helmet, similar to Black Luster Knight's, wrapped itself around Obnoxious Celtic Guard's head; the main difference between them was the smaller horn which only reached the top of its head, as opposed to near its neck, and the twenty tiny jewels engraved into it. Once it adjusted to the warrior's head-size, every other gem on the helmet started to glow bright yellow, matching the color pattern of the other 'Black Luster' cards.

"This card obtains ten Black Luster Counters when it's played and each turn I can activate one of its many effects. For example." As he spoke the central jewel blended in with the remainder of the helmet. He reached for his deck. "By removing one Black Luster Counter from Black Luster Helmet, I can draw one card."

_There's no way Lucas can come back from the way Dave's playing now,_ Josh thought. He noticed Adam had been entranced by the duel since it reached its turning point. Maybe he was trying to pick out Dave's weak points? Well, if there were any.

"I summon Luster Dragon!"

The crowd perked their heads up at the sight of the sapphire dragon. It flew out on stage, stretching its thin, sickle-shaped wings as it landed. It gripped the ground with its claws to show off its muscular limbs and glared across the room with two ruby eyes. (**1900**/1600)

_A dragon in a deck full of warriors? _Adam thought, readjusting himself in his chair. _Looks like I'm not the only one who does that…_

"I'll remove the final counter from Black Luster Knight to increase its and Obnoxious Celtic Guard's ATK by 200."

The remaining golden color in Black Luster Knight's gauntlets vanished only to be converted into power for the two warriors.

[Obnoxious Celtic Guard (**2200 - 2400**/1200)]

[Black Luster Knight (**2200 - 2400**/1200)]

"Now that I've used up Black Luster Knight's counters I'll tune it with Luster Dragon to Synchro Summon Black Luster Dragon Rider!"

Synchro Summon? Great… More rules. Josh was about to ask Adam, but he was so engrossed by the duel that it would be a waste of time. Instead, he typed it into his Card Analyzer which presented the information accordingly.

"Card Analyzer activated… Searching for Rule Data: 'Synchro Summon' … … Data Found:

**Synchro Summon**

Synchro Summons are another type of Special Summon that allows the player to Special Summon off-white monsters called Synchro Monsters. These monsters are similar to both Fusion and Ritual Monsters to a certain degree. Like Fusion Monsters, they reside in the Extra Deck before being played and thus can never exist in the hand or Main Deck. Tuner monsters tend to be weaker monsters with effects that allow them exist on the field longer or support other cards of their type. To Synchro Summon, a player needs to have a Tuner monster on the field. Then, like Ritual Monsters, they need to send it and 1 or more non-Tuner monsters on their side of the field to the Graveyard whose total levels are equal to the Synchro Monster that is being summoned. Synchro Monsters are recently developed cards and have only been in production for the past two years."

Josh had a hard time absorbing this new set of rules. But since Adam said he could create whatever kind of deck he wanted, he figured he would just avoid these cards whenever possible. They're too confusing.

During the time that Josh was looking up this information, Black Luster Knight emitted three circular rays from his body, surrounding itself until its body lost its features and eventually disappeared. The three rays floated over Luster Dragon until four more engulfed the dragon, joining the others. When all seven beams reached each other, they formed a straight line and a beam of lights shot abruptly shot through it. When the light disappeared, a black and silver version of Luster Dragon materialized above the field. A warrior similar to Black Luster Knight rode on its back, steadying itself as the golden-armored dragon darted toward the ground. (**2500**/1600)Josh had to admit he wasn't expecting a big change, since the monster's name implied an appearance like this. The dragon floated down gracefully as the warrior unsheathed its sword.

"When Black Luster Dragon Rider is Synchro Summoned, all cards that can have Black Luster Counters on them gain one each. And since it's a Warrior-type monster it gains even more ATK from The A. Forces."

The gem on Obnoxious Celtic Guard's helmet restored itself as if it had never left. Meanwhile, the dragon's golden armor gained a dark blue streak gleamed under its left wing, giving it the appearance of a scar. The energy from The A. Forces card radiated around the duo, successfully captivating the audience as it sparkled in the light. (**2500 - 3100**/1600) It took aim at Krytra, awaiting its orders.

"Black Luster Dragon Rider attack Krytra with Flame Penetration!"

The dragon took flight once again, this time flying above the three kneeling sages. Purple flames burst out of the dragon's mouth; the warrior thrust its sword through it, causing them to follow the blades point. With a trail of wisps close behind, the blade swiftly cut through the air until it came close to the red sage.

Krytra, who had been chanting the whole time, teleported away in a puff of smoke, leaving behind a soft cloud that covered Lucas's entire side of the arena – it used its power to avoid the hit. The fire-infused sword pierced through the smog, dividing it as it soared through the air. When the smoke cleared, the yellow-clothed sage clutched its hands up to its heart, giving its last breath, allowing its body to vaporize with the remaining fumes.

Dave watched his dragon knight return to him while he calculated his next move. Arur had been destroyed instead. It didn't make a difference to him but he knew that it was necessary to get rid of Krytra before Lucas could make a comeback.

"Obnoxious Celtic Guard," he started. His contained excitement was evident in his voice. The warrior poised its body for combat. "Krytra is unable to change its target now. This is our chance to take it out, attack!"

With that the warrior leaped into the air, holding its sword high over its helmet. In a sharp, jerking movement, the Celtic Guard sliced Krytra in half destroying it instantly. Another attack was about to be ordered when the light barrier reappeared around him. Arur's spell was still in effect.

"So, I guess since you had three 'Noble Sages' I can only attack twice this turn?" Lucas nodded with disdain. He knew it was pointless to continue anymore banter. "In that case I'll end my turn by activating my dragon's special ability."

Another dark blue streak flashed under the dragon warrior's right wing; the armor's design was symmetrical once again.

"Whenever Black Luster Dragon Rider declares an attack it gains another Black Luster Counter. Right now it has two, and I'm able to remove both of them to increase its ATK by 300."

The two streaks separated from the golden armor and began to encircle the dragon warrior. They grew smaller and smaller as they spun until they were absorbed into its skin. Lights twinkled from its armor revealing that the streaks had been recycled. (**3100 - 3400**/1600)

Upon drawing his next card, Lucas scraped his bottom lip with his teeth in a quick, exaggerated motion. Clearly he didn't get the card he wanted. A moment later a holographic card appeared behind his last sage followed by a Spell Card. Josh noticed it was the same card that Lucas just drew.

"I activate Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy The A. Forces to end my turn," He said gravely. Everyone knew this move made no difference in determining the winner, but it did reduce the power of Dave's monsters enough to stall for a turn. Random members of the audience reached for their Card Analyzers to check the new ATK totals as a small tornado ripped the hologram to shreds.

[Obnoxious Celtic Guard (**2400 - 1800**/1200)]

[Marauding Captain (**1800 - 1200**/400)]

[Black Luster Dragon Rider (**3400 - 2800**/1600)]

Dave smirked, fanning Xeyoi's mist away from his cards. Victory was practically assured.

"I activate one of Black Luster Helmet's effects. By removing three counters from it I can select a face-down card and if it's a trap I can destroy it!"

As three of the gems faded, a scope fell in front of the Celtic Guard's eyes. Dave punched in the command on his Card Analyzer and a crosshair shone over Lucas's last played card. A thin strip of light slowly worked its way from one edge of the card to the other, revealing the card to be a purple card depicting a demonized human standing at the bottom of a hole underground. Once the card's revelation was finished, a bullet shot from above destroying the card from its center.

"With your Trap Hole out of the way I can summon another Black Luster Knight without worry."

Another warrior jumped down from the ceiling, its cape flapping wildly as it fell. It glanced at its dragon counterpart as its gauntlets lit up, seemingly aware of their connection to each other. (**1400**/1200)

"I'll get rid of one of my Knight's counters to give my monsters 200 more ATK each." Dave watched as the right streak on each of the knight's gauntlets vanished. The other warriors readied their swords for their final attack.

[Obnoxious Celtic Guard (**1800 - 2000**/1200)]

[Black Luster Dragon Rider (**2800 - 3000**/1600)]

[Black Luster Knight (**1400 - 1600**/1200)]

Lucas backed away slightly upon seeing his reflection in Black Luster Knight's sword. He knew there was no chance for him now.

"I'll activate my final face-down card, Reorganized Resources!" Dave said, gesturing to the purple card ahead of him, causing it rise. It depicted Black Luster Knight exchanging its sword for Black Luster Guard's shield. They seemed to be inside of a fortress that was under fire.

"When it's activated I can take every Black Luster Counter on the field and allot them any way I please. And I'll give all eight to Black Luster Dragon Rider. Then I'll use its own effect to remove them to give it 1200 more ATK!"

The remaining streaks from Black Luster Knight's gauntlets flung out towards the dragon overhead. Meanwhile every single gem from Obnoxious Celtic Guard's helmet receded to nothing, as their energy did the same. Seeing that the helmet was no longer usable the warrior tossed it aside so it wouldn't hinder its performance.

Black Luster Dragon Rider floated in place, allowing the energy to fuse into its armor brightening the once dulled out streaks. The audience stared amazed by the sight of the armor's full design. After a moment of arousing the crowd, all of the streaks separated from the dragon's armor and began to spin rapidly in a tornado of dark blue lightning. The warrior raised its sword high above its head, allowing the streaks to spiral into the blade leaving a discharge of energy in its wake. It pulled the blade's handle down near its chest, pointing it towards its next target. (**3000 - 4200**/1600)

Lucas took a step back; the three warriors before him stepped forward. With only a single sage in between him and four powerful monsters, he knew that it was all over.

Upon realizing that the match was his, Dave grinned, giving his final command. "Finish this. Take out Xeyoi then triple direct attack!"

Marauding Captain led the march with the other two land-bound warriors close behind. It whacked the sage down with its sword, leaving it helpless as it was subsequently trampled by the preceding warriors. Marauding Captain stepped back as both of its followers continued their parade. As they approached, each swung their blades at Lucas from either side in a single fluid movement. Lucas grimaced, but didn't allow himself to lose his posture.

From above Black Luster Dragon Rider tossed its own blade, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. Since he was distracted by other warriors, Lucas failed to notice the flaming sword until it pierced into the ground infront of him. Fire shot up as the sword crashed into the stage, flinging the teenage onto his back. When the barrage finished, each monster dematerialized into data, signifying the match's end.

[Dave LP: (1800)] [Lucas LP: (6500 - 0)]

"The winner is Dave Litenur!"

Enthusiastic cheers filled the stadium as Dave waved in appreciation.

"That was a great game. I thought he was gonna lose for a second." Josh eagerly turned to Adam, but his cold expression negated Josh's joy.

"He over played it," he said, standing up.

"What do you mean by that?" Josh asked.

"He would play almost all of his cards in one turn just so he can get them on the field without saving any for his hand. That kind of playing is slopping, even for field control. And on top of that he didn't analyze his opponent's moves at all, which caused his own cards to be used against him on several occasions. He nearly lost because he was too focused on one strategy and his opponent took advantage of that."

He stared at Dave, who continued to enjoy the crowd's applause. Josh took his comments into consideration, but was being focused really a bad thing?

After a moment of fierce silence Adam stepped away. "I'm gonna go work on my deck…" He said quietly. Josh watched him work his way through the aisle, heading for the lobby.

_What's his problem?_

* * *

><p>Two police officers walked through the crowded vestibule, being careful not to attract too much attention to themselves as their eyes searched the area. Eventually, they reached a private hallway where a security guard stepped aside to let them through. At the end they met with their boss, an old stout officer whose thin, grayish hair contrasted with his dark uniform and glimmering badges. Behind him a door was left ajar.<p>

"Any luck?" he whispered, although he managed to keep authority in his words.

"Nothing chief. It seems that they got away."

The chief glanced over his shoulder as if to see if anyone was coming. When he saw that the door hadn't moved, he returned to the two.

"That can't be. He said that as soon as it went missing that he had security watch all the exits. No one could've gotten out without someone noticing. They must still be here…"

They chatted for a bit, discussing what to do with their situation. The chief decided he would talk with him, surely he would understand. The younger of the two officers offered his assistance, but the chief reassured him.

"I'll be fine Nathan, he's angry enough as it is. Go patrol the perimeter again. Make sure you both check every inch of the building before you report back to me. Got it?"

"Yes sir."

They nodded, then rushed back to the public while the chief opened the door. _This isn't good. How could they have gotten in here?_

The chief found himself in a small lab-like setting with a single shelf against the opposite wall. A television screen, like the ones in the lobby, hung on the wall taking up nearly half its space. The rest of the room was either filled with chairs or tables, except for the corner where Seto Kaiba stood stiffly.

"Well?" he asked harshly, without looking away from the wall.

The chief shut the door before he spoke. "I'm sorry. They can't find it. But I'm having the–"

"They can't _find it_?" Kaiba shouted, flipping the table next to him with a frightening jerk. Computers and hard drives toppled across the floor, landing near the chief's feet. The chief stepped back.

"No… but –"

Kaiba faced him with overpowering fury. "What the hell do you _mean_ they can't find it! Can you tell me how they got into my vaults – let alone my secret rooms – and managed to steal my _deck_ within _five minutes_ of my absence!"

"I... I don't know."

The chief looked past Kaiba so he wouldn't have to look him in the eye as he came closer. Behind the blazer-dressed duelist was a safe that had clearly been forced open – its door lied beside it on the ground, deformed and useless. Kaiba turned, drawing the chief's attention back to him, and brushed his hands on another table, sending papers scattering through the air.

"Don't bother speaking to me again unless you either have my deck back or you have the culprit dead in your hands. I don't care what you have to do. Cut off all access to the building. No one is going in or out until my deck is found."

Not wanting to anger him any further, the chief stepped out and closed the door. He pulled out his walkie-talkie and pressed the button to speak. He was about to put it to his mouth until he flinched from hearing something slam behind him. Kaiba probably threw another computer off the table. He took a moment to regain his focus, then pressed the button again.

"Tell my boys that I'm gonna be coming home late. Looks like we're gonna be here a while."

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… Data Found:

**Black Luster Dragon Rider**

[Wind]

[Warrior/Synchro/Effect]

"Black Luster Knight" + 1 or more non-tuner Dragon-type monster(s)

(2500/1600)

When this card is Synchro Summoned, place an additional Black Luster Counter on every card that can have a Black Luster Counter on them (including this card). Every time this card declares an attack, place a Black Luster Counter on this card (max. 8). By removing 2 Black Luster Counters from this card, increase its ATK by 300.

**Noble Sage – Arur**

[Wind]

[Spellcaster/Effect]

(1400/1600)

Depending on the number of "Noble Sage" monsters on your side of the field at the start of your opponent's Battle Phase activate the following effect:

-1 or 2: Your opponent can only attack with 3 monsters per turn.

-3 or 4: Your opponent can only attack with 2 monsters per turn.

-5: Your opponent can only attack with 1 monster per turn.


	8. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

With another round cleared, Dave and Josh were free to enjoy the stadium for a bit while they waited for the current match to finish. Since Adam was dueling, and the fact that Dave thought Adam's opponent was terrible, they stayed in their seats to watch. They figured it would be quick. Josh studied Adam while Dave searched through his deck, stopping at Black Luster Soldier.

"I can hardly believe that this deck has really gotten me this far. I can almost see my secret weapon tearing Kaiba's cards apart."

Josh turned, realizing that he wasn't just thinking out loud.

"I don't think you should get too cocky." He had been thinking about Adam's criticism since the last round. "You still have two more rounds to win and you'll probably have to face that Adam guy if he makes it to the championship round."

Dave put his deck on his lap, looking up at the stage. "I'm not too worried about him. He's good, but he hasn't summoned any monsters yet that are strong enough to defeat my Black Luster Soldier." He took off his hat, fixing it, then plopped it back on his head. "Even if he does, I still think I can take him."

Josh sighed. It was hopeless. Once Dave had an idea in his head, it never got out.

"What were you saying that he told you during the last round?"

Josh looked to Adam, who began his next turn, before speaking. "He said that he studies his opponents to pin-point their weaknesses so that he has an advantage before the match even starts."

Dave slotted his deck back into his Card Analyzer. "That's actually a good idea. I give him some credit for doing that."

Back on stage, Adam summoned a new monster, a warrior wearing tinted yellow armor dotted with blue gems at its joints and shield's center. A red cape flowed from its neck-line, and that was when Josh noticed that it didn't have a head at all.

"And since my Fallen Headless Knight is in Attack Position, every Fallen monster I control gains 400 DEF."

Since it was the only monster Adam had, it was the only monster that benefited. Ironically, this boost had no use to it at the moment, as Dave pointed out.

[Fallen Headless Knight (**1450**/1700 - 2100)]

"Now my Fallen Headless Knight, attack her monster."

The headless monster drew its sword before hopping into the air. It dove down, slicing a demonic treasure chest in half. As it fell to pieces, worms shot out at the opposing duelist, who shook them off in disgust. [Hannah LP: (5200 - 4750)]

"Since you destroyed my Dark Mimic LV3 I can draw two cards," she said, trying to take her mind off the worms. "And when I draw Watapon with a card effect I can Special Summon it to my side of the field."

A pink puffball popped into view, its huge oval shaped eyes gazing aimlessly in front of it. It shook its droopy antennas, rattling the smaller puffballs attached. (200/**300**)

Adam remained serious despite the monster's cute appearance. "I'll set a card and end my turn."

The hologram flashed behind Fallen Headless Knight and Adam placed his arm to his side.

His opponent drew. "I tribute Watapon to summon Vampire Lord in Attack Mode."

A bat fluttered above Watapon, landing on its head as the fuzzball twitched in uncomfortable curiosity. It bit into Watapon, causing its eyes to become a demonic shade of red and its body unnaturally blue. The bat's wings spread out, clapping them over the monster, covering completely it. When the wings opened a female vampire with sickly blue hair replaced the zombified Watapon, its dark purple wings and armor exuding the presumed sensation of death. (**2000**/1500)

"Next I'll activate Overpowering Eye. Since Vampire Lord has 2000 ATK, it's able to attack you directly this turn."

The vampire smirked, skipping over Fallen Headless Knight in order to dive straight at Adam. While the crowd gasped, this failed to surprise him. He allowed the vampire to grab him forcefully and suck his Life Points away without ever flinching once. [Adam LP: (5500 - 3500)] When it was finished, the vampire tossed him away, flying past his face-down card to return to its original position.

_ Wait_, Josh thought, _why didn't he use that card?_

"Whenever Vampire Lord inflicts damage to your Life Points its effect activates," his opponent shouted confidently. "Now I can declare a card type and you have to send a card of that type from your deck to your Graveyard. And I pick Monster Card!"

Adam quietly complied, skimming through his deck thoroughly before throwing a card into the red slot on his Duel Disk. He placed his deck back in its spot, leaving a hand there to draw.

"My turn," he said coldly. He looked over his hand carefully; long enough for Josh to notice that Dave seemed to be distracted. He knew this wasn't good for him. He needed to focus on the present instead of a future that may not happen. But knowing Dave, he knew that he would have to come to this realization by himself.

Back on stage, Adam finally began this turn. "I activate the Field Spell Card, Fallen Nation."

A slot, wide enough for a single card, opened on the right side of his Duel Disk where he promptly slid the declared card. It closed, and a flag pole grew out the ground until it was twice Adam's size. The flag rippled in the (nonexistent) breeze, revealing its insignia that must've represented all Fallen monster – a script version of the letter 'F.' Several skulls and bones surrounded it near its bottom seeming to serve a weak protection against foes.

"When this card is out, all Fallen monsters gain 500 ATK and DEF."

His Fallen Headless Knight turned to acknowledge the flag, but it was hard to tell exactly how it reacted due to its decapitation. (**1450 - 1950**/2100 - 2600)

_It's still not strong enough to take out her vampire_, Josh thought. But he could tell Adam had something planned.

"Now I offer my Fallen Headless Knight to summon Fallen Summoned Skull from my Graveyard!"

Adam shot a hand into the air and on cue a blue streak of lightning burst from the ceiling, consuming Fallen Headless Knight in a tower of static. It took shape, and seconds later the demonic fiend appeared with electricity trickling around its blue wings. (**2500 - 3000**/1200 - 1700)

His opponent took a slight step back, awestruck by the triumphant monster standing against her. "W-what? But I don't remember you summoning that monster."

Adam brushed his hand past his single strand of red hair. "How quickly we forget. I sent it to the Graveyard myself when Vampire Lord used its effect."

Both Dave and Josh leaned back in their seats. They were both thinking the exact same thing: _Clever_. That explains why he let the attack go through.

"I'm not done yet," he said, addressing the flag pole behind him. "I activate Fallen Nation's second effect. It enables me to summon an additional Fallen monster each turn and I'll use its effect to bring back Fallen Headless Knight."

Mounds of dirt gave way as a coffin drifted from the depths of the earth. Gravity dropped its dusty cover, causing a ring of dust to encircle it. The decapitated warrior stepped out and knelt, as if honored to be back. (1450 - 1950/**1700 - 2200**)

"And just in case you forget," he continued, noticeably angering his opponent. "Fallen Headless Knight increases the ATK all of Fallen monsters while it's in Defense Position."

[Fallen Headless Knight (1950 - 2350/**2200**)]

[Fallen Summoned Skull (**3000 - 3400**/1700)]

3400 ATK. Josh remembered that Black Luster Soldier's was only 3000. He knew that Dave was able to boost its power with other cards too, but by the way Adam has been playing he wasn't too sure that it would be a cake-walk for him.

"Now Fallen Summoned Skull, attack her Vampire Lord!"

The fiend let out a beastly howl, thrusting its wings forward, sending three blue streaks of lightning at the vampire. It attempted to dodge the bolts by transforming into a tiny bat, but it was only able to avoid two bolts before the third connected with its ears. It plummeted towards the ground completely charred. [Hannah LP: (4750 - 3350)]

The teenage duelist watched her monster become reduced to ashes. Thinking Adam's turn was over, she prepared her hand to draw, but stopped when he abruptly activated his face-down card.

"I activate Ring of Destruction. With it I can destroy one monster on the field and inflict damage of our Life Points equal to its ATK." Surprising everyone, he proudly pointed at his own monster. "Ring of Destruction, destroy Fallen Summoned Skull!"

A metallic tire flung out of its card hologram and at Fallen Summoned Skull, securing itself around its torso. Flames shot out rapidly, engulfing the fiend in a pillar of fire. Once it was completely consumed in fire, the tire exploded, projecting flames and debris in every direction. Even though it was only a hologram, many people ducked – including Dave and Josh – to avoid getting hit. The flames struck both duelists head on, but Adam appeared to be unaffected by it, presumably because he was the only one expecting this to happen. When the smoke cleared, only Fallen Headless Knight and the flag pole remained, with its banner unscratched by the blast.

[Hannah LP: (3350 - 0)] [Adam LP: (3500 - 100)]

The referee peeked over the end of the stage to see if the explosion had ended. When this was confirmed, he fixed his sunglasses and hopped onto the stage.

"The winner is Adam Prince!"

Cheers clamored across the stadium as Adam made his exit. His opponent was still shaken up, patting her skirt to rub of the dirt. Eventually she was able to pull herself together, barely, and left as well.

It was an incredible match. Adam must've planned turns ahead for that plan to work. He was able to completely manipulate his opponent's moves to make them work in his favor without her ever even suspecting it. He knew her strategy, that's why. He watched her duel from the first few rounds and learned her style. But he drew it close, literally. With only 100 Life Points left, any miscalculations would've ended up as a loss. And yet he still won…

So this is power of a real duelist. Josh knew Dave had been playing for years, but he never considered that Adam had been playing longer. He glanced over at his friend to see how he reacted to the match.

Dave stared at the empty stage with passion beaming from his eyes.

Josh quietly approached. "You still think you can take him?"

He nodded. "You bet. Nothing's gonna stop me from reaching Kaiba."

* * *

><p>"Let the second Semi-Final match begin! Dave Litenur vs. Peter Grail with the chance to beta test a brand new line of cards at stake. Who's going to win this?"<p>

Dave marched up the stairs to find his opponent already waiting for him, Duel Disk armed. His opponent's pitch black, wavy hair was intensified by his pure white blazer. He wasn't sure what kind of deck he used, mostly because he had been preparing his own deck in between rounds. He shoved his Card Analyzer into his Duel Disk, activating it and allowing the game to commence.

"Duel."

[Dave LP: (8000)] [Peter LP: (8000)]

"I'll start things off," the duelist, Peter, said as he whipped a card from his wrist. "I summon Shining Angel in Attack mode."

A white robed angel transcended from the sky, gracefully landing on the ground. It folded its creamy yellow wings, rubbing its blond hair to ensure it stayed perfect. (**1400**/800)

"Well, I guess it's your turn."

That's it? This might be easier than he had originally thought.

"Alright." He pulled a card, adding it to his hand. It was a pretty good hand too, especially considering how horrible his hand was last round.

"I activate Advanced Ritual Art!"

A Stonehenge-designed shrine rose out from the ground, encircling the field. Behind him an altar rose slightly higher than the other structures, and an ominous, green circle started rotating on its platform. At the center, a glowing sphere of energy floated inches from the ground, emitting a sense of serenity that took the breath of several audience members.

As Dave spoke, the sphere rose. "This card allows me to use Normal Monsters from my deck to Ritual Summon a monster from my hand." He held up his Duel Disk so that the deck-slot was aimed at the sky. "Now I'll send Luster Dragon and Dark Blade to Ritual Summon my Black Luster Soldier!"

Two cards ejected from his deck, transforming them into small spheres that zipped through the air. They circled each other, flying majestically into the air until the larger sphere absorbed them both with a 'plop'_, _sending shooting towards the ceiling. From above, a streak of unnaturally green lightning surged through it, crashing into the altar at full force. Static whipped spastically around the stone structure. Peter's hair danced frantically as the electricity drew it to the pillars behind him. He turned his head to see what was coming; when he turned back he saw the dark blue armored warrior standing atop the altar's stairs. (**3000**/2500)

"Impressive," Peter said.

Dave cocked his wrist. "If you liked that, you'll love this! Black Luster Soldier, attack his Shining Angel!"

Black Luster Soldier leaped from the altar, bringing its blade near its shoulder. Shining Angel withdrew its wings in anticipation. Wind rushed past Black Luster Soldier, whipping its red ponytail around its back. Once the warrior was able to see its opponent's pupils, it swung its arm into a semi-circle, successfully chopping off the angel's left wing. Unable to stay airborne any longer, the angel slammed against the ground with a loud 'thud,' where it dematerialized into data.

While the soldier made its way back onto the altar, Peter picked out a card from his hand. [Peter LP: (8000 - 6400)] He held it up, preparing to dramatically present it to the crowd.

"Just as I planned."

Dave raised an eyebrow, looking to his monster out of the corner of his eye. There was nothing else out on Peter's side. There was barely anything on the field at all – just his Black Luster Soldier and the stone pillars used to summon it. How could this be a part of his plan?

"He's getting sloppy," Adam whispered, though Josh wasn't sure if he was saying to him or just thinking out loud.

Peter flipped the card; on the other side Dave, apparently astounded by it, took a defensive stance. Looks like the field wasn't the only place cards were able to use their effects.

"When I take damage and have no other cards out, I can summon Gorz the Emissary of Darkness from my hand!"

A blur of shadows shot out from behind each pillar, fusing together into a single unit. Bit by bit the shadows took shape – two arms with large, bladed gauntlets. A black torso armor that tailed into a red, blazer-like cape that was torn at the edges. Silver armor, reminiscent of a skeleton's bones, lining its black legs. Finally, a head; top half covered with a visor and crimson hair jetting up as if it wanted to cut the sky. The shadows finished transforming, revealing the monster to be human-like in appearance. It held up one of its armored hands, where a soft, glowing ball of light radiated over its fingertips. (**2700**/2500)

Dave bit his lip. _That's such a rare card. How'd he get his hands on it?_

"Since Gorz was summoned from Battle Damage, it can summon an Emissary of Darkness Token as well!" Peter said, waving his arm.

The monster held out its light-filled hand, and the light hovered away. Strange balls of energy surrounded Peter, only to charge at the glowing sphere. The light floated beside Gorz, absorbing the energy, growing exponentially with every tiny piece consumed. Eventually it grew to be about Dave's height, then expelled into a maiden baring a sharp, glimmering blade. Its armor was similar to Gorz's, but this monster's head gear was silver, covering its hair and ears entirely. While it also wore gauntlets, these were silver, finned blades as opposed to Gorz's hooked blades that protruded outward. Its torso piece was silver as well, resembling a shield with a golden gem at its center. Beneath the armor, the maiden wore a red dress that fluttered as the maiden took its post. (**?**/?)

Peter smirked. "This is Kaien, the Emissary of Darkness Token. As you can probably tell, she's not like Gorz in anyway except appearance. Gorz is a Fiend monster, Kaien is a Fairy monster. Gorz is a DARK monster, Kaien is LIGHT monster." He paused for emphasis. "And while Gorz's stats never changes, Kaien gains ATK and DEF equal to the damage I took from your attack."

Josh pulled his Card Analyzer and opened up the calculator app. Black Luster Soldier attacked with 3000 ATK against a Shining Angel with 1400 ATK. That equals… 1600 damage. (**? - 1600**/? - 1600)

"And, let's not forget that when Shining Angel is destroyed by battle I can summon a LIGHT monster from my deck as long as it has 1500 ATK or less." He pointed toward the ceiling, nearly yelling at this point. "So I'll bring out another Shining Angel in its place!"

A new angel descended from the sky, hovering in between its two allies. They all stared Dave down, awaiting his next move. (**1400**/800)

Now this was impressive. Not only did he summon three monsters at once but he did it on his opponent's turn, without needing to lift a finger. Dave was the one who did all the work. Josh watched Dave as he brought his cards up to avoid eye contact with them. While he was thinking of his next move, Adam stood up and turned to leave.

"Hey, where are ya going?" Josh questioned.

"I need to prepare for the finals," he said flatly.

"But don't you need to 'analyze your opponent's weaknesses'?"

"I've seen enough…" And with that, he left.

For a second Josh was disappointed that he did. He enjoyed Adam's company. But at least he would be able to enjoy the game without anyone antagonizing Dave.

Dave looked over his hand intently. Although the match became three on one, none of Peter's monsters were strong enough to take out Black Luster Soldier. But, he had already declared his attack for the turn. All he could do now was prepare for future battles. He took a Trap Card from his hand, tossing it into a slot in his Duel Disk.

"I end," he said, gripping the rim of hat.

"Alright." Peter drew a card, only to throw it in his Duel Disk as well. The hologram flashed below Shining Angel, who drifted towards the ground to land. "That's it. Your turn."

_Really?_ Dave thought. _This guy seems a little too lax… _He focused on the face-down card; his view of it was obscured by the angel as it landed. _That card he played must be a trap._ He drew a card, recognizing it as The Warrior Returning Alive, a card he used in his duel against the dinosaur girl. He slipped it in between the others in hand, touching another Spell Card with his index finger.

"I activate Bait Doll to force the activation of your face-down card. If it's a Trap, it activates whether it works or not."

A voodoo doll emerged above the face-down card in a puff of smoke. It plopped onto the card, coercing it to rise in front of Peter. Mirror Force, a card that responses to attacks. Since it failed, the card shattered into thousands of digital fragments. Peter inhaled briskly.

"After Bait Doll is used, it returns to my deck." He placed the card on top of his deck, shuffled it, and returned it to its spot in his Duel Disk. "Now I activate The Warrior Returning Alive and use it to bring Dark Blade from my Graveyard to my hand." He whipped the card near his nose. "And I'll summon it in Attack Mode!"

From under Dave, a shadow stealthily surged forward, stretching until it met with Black Luster Soldier's. Once there, the shadow shot into the air and formed into the familiar blade-covered warrior who unsheathed its two signature swords. (**1800**/1500)

"Black Luster Soldier, attack Gorz the Emissary of Darkness!"

Firmly securing its sword in its fingers, Black Luster Soldier charged at the spikey-haired warrior. Gorz lifted its arm parallel to the ground and a blade of its own rose from its shadow. It grasped and blocked Black Luster Soldier's strike, pushing it away. When it moved in for a counterattack Black Luster Soldier spun a full circle, dodging the blow and stabbing Gorz in its back. Gorz, staring at the sword piercing through its chest, collapsed and dissipated into streamers of shadows. Now the battle was two on two. [Peter LP: (6400 - 6100)]

"Sorry but just having a lot of monsters out doesn't mean you're guaranteed victory," He said. "Now Dark Blade, attack his Shining Angel!"

Dark Blade crossed its swords in from of its face, dashing at the angel with stunning agility.

Peter smiled, taking a card from his hand. "Sorry, but just because your monsters are stronger than mine doesn't mean that they can't beat you." He held up a card depicting another angel with sky blue wings somehow holding a glowing light in its arms. "I discard Honest to increase Shining Angel's ATK by Dark Blade's until the end of the turn!"

Dave raised an eyebrow. _Another rare card!_

Peter tossed the card into the Graveyard slot, which responded with a glow. A large, sky-blue halo materialized above Shining Angel, flowing down, surrounding the angel, safeguarding it from the opposing monster's strikes. With each blow, the ring twinkled and fairy dust burst out, covering both combatants. The ring expanded outward, forcing Dark Blade to stand down, and the airborne fairy dust fused into Shining Angel. (**1400 - 3200**/800) Dark Blade dashed at it to battle again. The angel gathered more fairy dust in its palm, slammed it into the warrior's swords, smashing them until only their handles remained. Disarmed, the warrior had no choice but to accept its destruction as Shining Angel eradicated it with a wave of blinding blue light.

Dave watched dumbfounded as the angel returned to Peter's side. [Dave LP: (8000 - 6600)] That was the second turn in a row he used an effect from his hand, bluffing him into thinking that he was defenseless. From now on he needed to be more cautious.

Back in the stands, Josh was thinking along the same lines, only he also thought that this would be just the jolt Dave needed to snap him out of his trance. Dave concluded his turn, subtly shaking off his astonishment in the process.

Peter smiled as he drew. "Now the fun starts. I summon Copycat and use it to clone your Black Luster Soldier!"

A tall, oval mirror formed in front of him, glistening against the arena's lighting. It was glared, but once it turned towards Black Luster Soldier, its reflection appeared alone within it. A moment later the reflection jumped out of the mirror as a carbon copy of Dave's monster. (**? - 3000**/? - 2500) Black Luster Soldier stared belligerently at its clone, keeping its sword poised. Dave looked to his warrior on the stone altar, then back at Copycat.

"A copy is never better than the original," Dave stated with pride.

"No… but it's just as good," Peter countered with a chortle. "Copycat, attack Black Luster Soldier!"

The declaration caused gasps throughout the crowd.

_They'll destroy each other,_ Josh thought.

_I'll be wide open_. Dave watched his warrior combat with Copycat, each move perfectly matching its opponent's. Neither seemed to be able to gain the upper hand, but at one point Black Luster Soldier blocked the tip of the Copycat's blade. The soldier pushed it away, moving in to impale its doppelganger. As the sword pierced through its chest, Black Luster Soldier felt another blade go through its stomach.

Black Luster Soldier stepped back dizzily, pulling its sword out of the monster. The clone smiled, knowing its mission had been accomplished. Using the remainder of its strength, Black Luster Soldier swung its sword at the clone like a bat, knocking it into one of the stone pillars formed from its summoning. The clone died on impact, and the pillar fell onto the one next to it, creating a domino effect that caused the whole structure to crumble. Black Luster Soldier watched the falling pillars circle the stage, finally meeting at the altar where it was born. When the altar was destroyed, it died as well.

The stage returned to normal, leaving only Peter's two monsters and Dave's face-down card in play. Since both monsters had equal ATK strength, neither player took any damage. Dave tried hard to hide his vulnerability, but Josh saw right through it.

Apparently, Peter did too. "Kaien, attack him directly!"

The maiden lifted its blade over her head, and dashed at Dave. It let out a battle cry to intimidate him but Dave refused to lose focus.

"I activate my Trap Card – Spirit Force!"

A card with an azure glow flew out of his Duel Disk, passing in front of Kaien as its blade came down on it. Her blade crashed into it, and the card transformed into a translucent version of Black Luster Knight, only his entire body was a ghostly shade of blue. It blocked the attack with its own blade. Surprised, the maiden called off her attack, giving the spirit monster a chance to revert back into a card and fly into Dave's hand.

"It negates any damage I would've taken from your attack and allows me to add a Tuner monster from my deck to my hand as long as it has less than 1500 DEF," He said, catching the card with his last word.

"Doesn't matter." Peter gave his Shining Angel a commanding glance. "Attack him directly!"

The angel complied, swooping through the air. With no cards out on Dave's field, nothing stopped it from kicking him in the chest. Dave stumbled back slightly, but was relieved that the damage wasn't as severe. [Dave LP: (6600 - 5200)]

"I'll play one more card face-down before I end."

"My turn then," Dave said, looking to his drawn card. Black Luster Sword. Now was his chance to turn things around. "I summon Black Luster Knight in Attack Mode."

The warrior, in the flesh, jumped out of the card reproduced by the hologram projector. It showed off its armor, letting the crowd watch in amazement as two golden streaks lit up on its gauntlets. (**1400**/1200)

"I'll take a Black Luster Counter off my knight to increase its ATK by 200!"

Black Luster Knight shook its right gauntlet, ridding itself of a streak. It did the same to its left, gripping tightly on its sword's handle in its sheath. (**1400 - 1600**/1200)

"Finally I activate Black Luster Sword and equip it to Black Luster Knight, giving it 1000 more ATK!"

The warrior unveiled its sword, revealing that it was not that the usual sword it carried. As Dave stated, it was the sword with gems in its handle, each glowing brightly to signify a boost in power. (**1600 - 2600**/1200)

"Black Luster Knight, take out his Shining Angel!"

The knight obeyed, charging full force at the floating monster. The angel tried to avoid its strike by drifting upwards but it was caught off guard by the knight's quick movements. A large scar grew across Shining Angel's body as its robes became torn. Both monsters fell toward the earth; Black Luster Knight being the only one who landed safely.

[Dave LP: (5200)] [Peter LP: (6100 - 4900)]

"Pfft, so what? Now I'll just bring out another Shining Angel to replace it."

Another angel flew down like its predecessors, stopping just as its feet would have touched the ground. (**1400**/800)

"That's right but my Black Luster Knight is far stronger than both of your monsters." He slid a card into a Spell/Trap Card slot, allowing it to rematerialize beside him. "I end my turn."

"That may be true," Peter said, drawing to start again. "But so far strength hasn't really been your strong point has it?"

Seeing that Dave ignored the joke, Peter immediately followed up by opening the card-sized slot in the side of his Duel Disk. He threw a green card in it that featured a red, winged fiend monster shielding its eyes from a blinding light that flooded the rest of the picture.

"I activate the Field Spell Card, Luminous Spark! This card increases the ATK of all LIGHT monsters by 500, but lowers their DEF by 400."

A glimmering strip flowed along the floor, eventually rising up into wisps of light. The light grew in size and force, eventually becoming a massive, blinding tower that beamed from the arena's hub. Dave covered his eyes with his Duel Disk; his monster doing the same with its sword. Peter closed his eyes, basking in the light while his monsters held out their arms, absorbing its energy.

[Shining Angel (**1400 - 1900**/ 800 - 400)]

[Emissary of Darkness Token (**1600 - 2100**/1600 - 1200)]

Eventually the light dimmed down a bit, allowing the players to regain their eyesight.

"And while I'm at it, I'll activate Shine Palace and equip it to Kaien, which gives her an additional 700 ATK."

A medieval tower rose from the ground, casting a light onto Kaien from its peak. The maiden raised her blade, creating a pillar of light from its reflection. (**2100 - 2800**/1200)

"Kaien, attack his Black Luster Knight!"

Kaien brought its attention to the warrior, swinging its blade, sending the light-pillar with it. The light reconfigured into a bolt of energy that spiraled towards Dave's monster.

"No you don't!" Dave hit a button on his Card Analyzer before the bolt came near. "I activate Black Luster Sword's effect - by removing a counter from it I can negate your attack!"

One of the gems on Black Luster Sword's handle blew out, simultaneously transforming the sword's color to an unusual shade of blue. The warrior cocked its arm up to block the light beam, barely succeeding as the beam crashed against the blade. Blurs of white and blue sparked from the blade in a struggle for control. Black Luster Knight knocked the beam away, redirecting it towards the ground where it vanished in the stage's light.

Kaien gave Black Luster Knight a rueful stare. The warrior panted in silent celebration, but upon looking at its sword it realized that the battle wasn't over yet.

"Of course," Dave said. "Since I had to give up a counter from Black Luster Sword, my knight loses 200 ATK." (**2600 - 2400**/1200) "But it's worth the price since you can't do anything else this turn."

"Can't I?" Peter hesitated for a second. He didn't even look at his hand before he started to chuckle. "Yeah, you're right. Your turn."

Dave smiled respectfully. Peter wasn't like most duelists. Whether it was overconfidence or not, he was more relaxed about his playing than others were. Maybe it's because of experience. Then again, it's probably because his deck is so rare.

"Alright."

He drew, recognizing the card to be another Equip Spell Card. It featured a necklace with dog-tags buried in the sand, with footprints surrounding it in the background. Symbols of Duty. It was one of his favorite Equip Cards, probably because it was so useful. The gears in his head started to turn, this time he would calculate his moves before acting.

First, to activate Symbols of Duty, he needed a Normal Monster Card. He had just one in his hand – Black Luster Warrior. Then he needed to overpower his opponent's monsters. He looked to his face-down card. He technically could have used it last turn, but he was happy that he had waited. Looks like things were set up perfectly this time. But Peter did have another face-down card… He needed a back-up plan. If things went awry, which they were bound to at this rate, he could easily lose the duel and his dreams would go down the drain. But that won't happen.

That can't happen.

Josh watched him look over his cards, continuously checking his Card Analyzer and occasionally glancing at Peter's side of the field. He smiled. Looks like his – er, Adam's – advice finally got through to him.

Dave took a card from his collection. Now was the time to strike.

"I summon Black Luster Warrior!"

The young trainee leaped cheerfully out its card hologram, squinting slightly when the intense light hit its eyes. It took its tiny shield in front of its face so it had time for its vision to adjust. (**1600**/1000)

Dave pulled out another card; this time he held it far from his body so that his arm extended straight out. Josh thought this was a bit dramatic for a card game but he was used to it by now.

"I activate Symbols of Duty!" He flipped the card with his fingers, quickly flashing it to Peter, immediately slotting it into his Duel Disk. "By sending Black Luster Warrior to the Graveyard I can revive a monster from either Graveyard and equip it with this card." A blue monster ejected out his Duel Disk. "And I pick Black Luster Soldier!"

The blue card flew out to the center of the field, passing through Black Luster Warrior like it was a ghost, and the two entities transformed. The card spread out to reform into the powerful soldier it once was, while Black Luster Warrior converted into a small chained necklace. Black Luster Soldier kept its eyes closed, allowing the necklace to fall gracefully onto its shoulders, only opening them when it heard the dog-tags clang against its armor. (**3000**/2500)

"Next I'll take off another counter from Black Luster Knight to boost my monster's ATK strength by 200 each."

The remaining streaks on the knight's gauntlets receded into the gauntlet's design, leaving only the dark blue hue to glimmer in the omnipresent light.

[Black Luster Knight (**2400 - 2600**/1200)]

[Black Luster Soldier (**3000 - 3200**/2500)]

_3200 ATK?_ Peter thought. _Now that's good._

"I'm not done yet." He shot his arm into the air; his face-down card did the same. "I activate Collected Power! I can pick a monster and attach every Equip Card on the field to it whether it works or not." He pointed to the most obvious target. "And I pick my Black Luster Soldier."

Black Luster Soldier inhaled deeply; a strange force exuded from its body, causing the light from Shine Palace to cast onto it. Kaien, the Emissary of Darkness Token, scowled at the soldier, but there was nothing it could do to prevent the castle's power from being taken. [Kaien (**2800 - 2100**/1200)] Black Luster Soldier winced at the light, gesturing to Black Luster Knight to assist it. The knight considered its options for a moment, settling on giving its Black Luster Sword to its superior. [Black Luster Knight (**2600 - 1800**/1200)] [Black Luster Soldier (**3200 - 4000**/2500)]The two exchanged swords, allowing the soldier to reflect the beam of light using the blade's metal sheen. It redirected the beam into the tower's base, somehow causing it to erode through it. With time, the tower fell, leaving Kaien and Shining Angel to dodge the falling debris.

Black Luster Soldier looked back at its master, who nodded approvingly, and the soldier dove in to attack. It expertly avoided each piece of brick and stone that came its way. Kaien, too busy focusing on the collapsing tower, squealed when Black Luster Soldier came inches from its face. Just as the solider pulled its blade out, Peter flipped a card and a mechanical spring shot out, snatching Black Luster Knight in between its discs.

"I activate my face-down card, Magical Arm Shield! This allows me to change the attack target to a monster you control instead!"

"What?"

Black Luster Knight resisted, struggling to break free from the device's snare. Even prying its sword under the disc did nothing. Once its grip was secured, the device swept the warrior off its feet, propelling it towards the falling gravel.

Black Luster Soldier, unaware of this, continued to drive its sword at Kaien's torso. The maiden ducked, making the soldier hit a bolder instead. It attempted to pull its blade out as Kaien retreated, using the raining rubble as a cover. The now furious soldier tightened its muscles, tugging the blade until it jerked free. Knowing that its life was in danger if it stayed any longer, it chucked its sword clear across the field. Amazingly the sword successfully missed every piece of brick and stone that fell past it. Black Luster Soldier ran back to Dave's side, nearly getting crushed by the tower's roof in the process. The tower's remaining base caved inward, leaving a thick layer of smoke (that was nearly invisible due to the lighting) cloaking Peter's field.

Dave sighed thankfully when Black Luster Soldier returned to him. But Black Luster Knight was still lost in the destruction. What was that card Peter used? Magical Arm Shield? If he was right then his knight was a goner. His fears were confirmed when the knight stumbled through the clouds of dust, exposing its blood-stain body. Black Luster Soldier raced to its side. It caught the youth as it tripped over the ground. Black Luster Knight weakly handed Black Luster Soldier the Black Luster Sword, which was blood-stained as well. Guilt struck through the warrior's heart as the knight died in its arms.

Black Luster Soldier carefully placed its body on the ground, picking up the sword the fallen knight had left it. It turned back to the smoke and saw Kaien laughing. The intended target had gotten away. This time.

But this time might be the last. With his plan foiled, Dave searched his hand. He slid a card into his Duel Disk, which rematerialized in front of him, and called out to Peter.

"You may have destroyed my monster, but you're the one who takes the damage."

"That's right –" [Peter LP: (4900 - 2700)] "– but it's worth the price. Once I get rid of your soldier, you'll be completely defenseless."

Was he right?

Dave lowered his eyebrows. "Good luck with that."

"Is that a challenge?" Peter drew. "I activate Graceful Charity. This lets me draw three more cards but then I have to discard two." He tossed two cards into his Graveyard, though Dave couldn't tell what they were since he was suffering from near-blindness. "And since I have exactly four Fairy-monsters in my Graveyard, I can Special Summon my favorite monster – Archlord Kristya!"

Yet another rare card. And he was clever about using this one. He only had three Fairy-monsters in his Graveyard beforehand – two Shining Angels that Dave destroyed and an Honest he discarded earlier – but he must've sent a fourth using Graceful Charity. Smart kid.

"Now descend upon us, Archlord Kristya!"

A new angel dropped down from the ceiling; its body was covered in albino armor connected together by off-white, Greek-styled pieces that protruded further out of its elbows and ankles. More off-white armor lined over its lower body and left leg that acted as a type of exoskeleton. The upper portion of its body was also protected by the armor, but this part extended to its helmet that hid its entire head. Its eyes, which were barely visible behind the large horn attached to the helmet, stared coldly at the Black Luster Soldier. It spread its orange, phoenix-like wings as its flame colored sash hovered over its hips. (**2800 - 3300**/2300 - 1900)

_It's still not strong enough to take out my Soldier…_ Dave was content with his small advantage, but when Peter reached for his Graveyard it struck him – Archlord Kristya had another effect.

"And when Archlord Kristya is Special Summoned by its effect, I can add one Fairy-type monster from my Graveyard to my hand. So I'll bring back my Honest card."

Dave grunted slightly and took a defensive stance when Honest's halo began to orbit Archlord Kristya's body. Black Luster Soldier did the same, raising its shield in preparation.

"Now Archlord Kristya, attack his Black Luster Soldier!"

The white armored angel followed its orders, stretching its wings so that Honest's ring expanded at an incredible rate. The ring smashed against Black Luster Soldier's shield, creating friction from the collision that sparked along the edges. Black Luster Soldier managed to push it away, but the sparks created from the struggle quickly transferred themselves to Archlord Kristya. (**3300 - 7300**/1900) With azure static trickling from his body, the angel swooped at Black Luster Soldier.

The soldier tried swiping at the angel with its sword, but the angel skillfully evaded each strike with nearly no effort at all. The angel moved in, but Black Luster Soldier refused to go down without a fight. It fended the angel off, swiping its blade at the angel's wings, blocking with its shield when the angel attempted to hit back. The process continued; neither combatant showed any signs of fatigue or strain and the audience began to wonder what would happen despite knowing what the outcome would ultimately be.

At last the angel backed off, allowing the soldier to take a deep sigh of relief. But soon it realized it had set up its own demise. With each strike, the angel had been pushing it back until it had been pushed to the edge of the stage. The soldier eyed the angel, who glared back mischievously. They stared at each other for a while, seemingly suspended in time.

"Get out of there!"

The order from Dave alerted the soldier to danger once again, but the angel was too fast – it darted so quickly that it appeared to have teleported across the room. Black Luster Soldier felt the angel's gauntlets crush into its armor, forcefully knocking it off the stage. As it flew through the air, the soldier managed to make eye contact with angel one final time. It felt its armor pierce through its back, let out an inaudible groan and its vision blurred until only darkness remained.

The crowd, as this happened, peered over the side of the stadium in order to get a better few of the warrior. Most could not see past the stage (including Josh), but those closest to Dave could see the mess of broken armor slowly digitize. Peter stepped forward, finger pointed at Dave, as he prepared his next move.

"Now this game is mine! Kaien! Finish hi – " His voice choked. His eyes bulged out and his hand began to tremble as he lowered back to his hip. "No… this can't be… I was so close!"

Murmurs began to spread across the crowd. No one was sure what had caused Peter to panic without warning. Josh scanned the field, eventually making his way to Dave. The camouflaged teenage smirked. In front of him a card had been raised, and Josh knew this could only mean one thing.

"When the Trap Card Dimension Wall is activated, any Battle Damage I would've taken from your attack is transferred to you instead." Dave adjusted the rim of his cap. "My soldier didn't die in vain."

"No way…" Peter dropped to his knees, finally accepting his loss.

[Dave LP: (5200)] ([Peter LP: (2700 - 0)]

"And Dave Litenur moves onto the Final Round!"

Cheers immersed the arena as the remaining holograms faded and the stage's light dulled out. Dave walked over to his opponent. Peter looked to him distantly, stood up, and quietly held out a hand as he drew near.

"Well, you definitely deserved that win."

Dave reciprocated the handshake with a grin. "Thanks. You nearly had me there a few times."

"Good luck in the finals."

The two nodded and made their way off stage. Dave shot a glance to Josh, who answered with a thumbs-up.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I please have your attention."

The clapping died down; at this point Dave had returned to his seat. Josh nudged him with his elbow and mouthed 'Congrats' as the announcer resumed his spiel.

"The Final Round will begin shortly. We'll be taking a short fifteen minute break. Please feel free to visit the cafeteria and gift shops in the meantime."

Josh turned to Dave, who congratulated him again, this time out loud.

"Thanks Josh, I guess your advice was right after all."

Josh smiled and shook his head. "Don't thank me. Adam was the one who told me that."

Suddenly a solemn feeling fell over the two teenagers. They looked to the vacant seat next to Dave, before looking back to each other.

"Speaking of which, where did he go?"

* * *

><p>Massive clumps of people began to fill the empty lobby; slowing congesting the wide space so that Nathan was unable to move any farther.<p>

"Nathan," a voice rang out over his walkie-talkie. "We need strategize our search more thoroughly. There's too many people in here to do a quick sweep. Meet me by the reception desk and we'll talk there."

He unclipped it from his belt, touching it to his mouth. "Roger."

Nathan slid the walkie-talkie back into place. He had done other jobs like this, but none of those were nearly this taxing. His partner was right – there were too many people in this building. If anything were to happen the place would be thrown into hysteria in a matter of minutes. He took a deep breath, trying to pry a path through the walls of people that surrounded him. It took a bit of effort, but they finally moved.

Despite what he had initially thought, Nathan arrived at the desk before his partner did. He leaned up against it, surveying the crowd for him. Nowhere to be found. He was about to look in another direction when he locked eyes with a mysterious man wearing a gray leather jacket. The man's stare was fierce; he wiped his hand across his nose, brushing the lone strand of red hair into the black spikes atop his head. The man stepped away from view as Nathan's partner returned to the scene.

"Alright, now we can… Nathan, something wrong?"

Nathan watched the spot where the man had once stood. Something was off about him.

"Nathan, did you hear me?"

This time he acknowledged him with a nod, but remained transfixed on the crowd.

"No. Nothing at all."

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… Data Found:

**Black Luster Knight**

[Earth]

[Warrior/Tuner]

(1400/1200)

This card cannot be used as a Synchro Material Monster except for the Synchro Summon of a Warrior-type monster. When this card is summoned to the field or flipped face-up, place 2 Black Luster Counters on this card (max.5). Once per turn, by removing 1 Black Luster Counter increase the ATK of all monsters with "Black Luster" in their name by 200 points.

**Black Luster Warrior**

[Light]

[Warrior]

(1600/1000)

_The young apprentice of Black Luster Soldier. He shows great potential; once his training is completed he may even surpass his master in skill._


	9. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**

The audience members slowly refilled the otherwise empty arena, after mingling in the lobby and snack areas, to watch the remainder of the tournament. In five minutes, the final round would begin. Figuring that it would be impossible to fight their way through the crowd in time, Josh and Dave had stayed in their seats. Josh leaned back in his chair, shuffling his new deck with his left hand, while Dave looked over something on his Card Analyzer.

"Kaiba has three copies of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon in his deck. So that means he has a three out of forty chance of drawing it, assuming his deck has forty cards that is…"

Josh stopped shuffling and leaned forward. "Remember what we said earlier, right?"

Dave looked to his friend. "I know. One more round to go. But like I said, I'm not too worried about that Adam guy."

"Are you sure? He seemed really good from what I can tell." Although, he had to admit that he didn't know much about this game to begin with.

"Yeah, I figured out his strategy during the last round." He put his Card Analyzer on his lap and crossed his legs. "He tries to send his monsters to his Graveyard with his Spell Cards, then he tries to outsmart you with his Trap Cards. It's a good strategy too. But most of his tactics are so unorthodox that they're obvious when you really pay attention. I just need be wary of his tricks and I should be set."

Josh leaned back again. "Alright." He smiled. Dave knew what he was doing. He could trust that.

Once the stadium was repopulated, the lights went out and a spotlight shone on center stage. The announcer, who seemed to appear out of the floor, gave a two-minute warning and told the finalists to proceed to the stage. Josh bumped Dave's fist as he passed him by, watching him make his way to the meeting spot.

"Good," the announcer whispered to Dave. "Now we just need to wait for your opponent and we can begin."

Dave nodded. Hopefully he wouldn't take too long.

* * *

><p>Near a private entrance, Kaiba and his brother, Mokuba, waited in the shadows for the finalists to show up.<p>

"Seto, are you okay?" Mokuba asked shyly. Kaiba patted him on the shoulder tenderly.

"I'm fine." He pulled his hand away.

"But what about your deck? How are you going to duel without it?"

Kaiba hesitated, then spoke gravely, "We need to continue with the tournament as if it never happened. Hopefully we can bide our time..."

Mobuka turned to him. "I wouldn't worry about that. These two guys are the best I've seen since Yugi Muto and Joey Wheeler." Kaiba rolled his eyes at the mention of Joey's name. "They'll be able to put on a show long enough for us to find the culprit."

"Let's hope so," he whispered under his breath.

"Mr. Kaiba," the chief said, arriving behind them. "How are things holding up?"

Kaiba nodded. "We should be able to stall long enough for you to find my deck."

Mobuka elbowed him teasingly. "Yeah, hopefully Seto can keep his cool while we wait."

The chief and Mokuba forced a nervous laugh. There was a moment of awkward silence until the chief pointed to the stage.

"Look, that other boy's here."

They looked to the stage, watching the confident teenager somberly walk over to the other duelist. Kaiba stepped forward.

"I have to go up." He glanced at the chief over his shoulder. "If you hear any word about my deck alert me immediately."

The chief gave an assuring nod and stepped back into the doorway. Kaiba took a few more steps; a beam of light exposed him from the darkness. He steadily climbed the stairs, met with the other three, where the announcer handed him a microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen. The duel that is about to take place is destined to be unlike any other." Mokuba chuckled – everyone knew that Kaiba didn't believe in destiny. "In the left corner we have a local duelist known as Dave Litenur and in the right, we an unknown duelist by the name of Adam Prince. Both are equally skilled in varying ways, but one thing we know is that they were able to make it here today."

Kaiba paused to allow both contestants to take their spots on the stage, simultaneously allowing the audience room to applaud. Dave had his back turned to Josh, where he would be able to get a good view of Dave's hand. The two showed off their Duel Disks, but waited for permission to activate them.

"As you already know, both of you already qualify to beta test a brand new line of cards. But that is not enough. In order to gain the title and glory of becoming a champion, you must win this round to have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to duel me."

Dave stared at Kaiba as he gave his spiel. _I'll be sure to._

"If you win, then fame is yours. But now let's return to the moment shall we?" He looked to Adam, who stood emotionlessly. Then to Dave, who remained focused on the famous duelist.

_Just one more round and my dream will come true…_

"Dave." Hearing Kaiba say his name broke him from his trance. Kaiba held out a coin engraved with a dragon's head on one side, fumbling with it. "Since you won with more Life Points during the last round, you get to call the toss."

A formal coin toss. It was rare to see this in casual play, but even throughout this tournament the announcer had predetermined the turn order. He was honored to be left with this choice.

"Heads," he said with confidence.

"Hmph." Kaiba threw the coin into the air, where it flipped distinctively as it fell. When it returned, Kaiba griped it with his right hand, plopped it onto his left and called out the result.

"Tails."

Dave grumbled. But he knew it didn't matter in the long run – it was rare for the turn order to determine the winner.

"Adam, since you won the toss you get to go first."

Adam darkly watched Kaiba step off stage, where Kaiba passed the baton to the announcer.

"Alright! Let the final round begin!"

The crowd cheered; Kaiba disappeared into the darkness. Only two spotlights remained, one on either player, each expanding so that their fields were lit up in a sharp, pale light. Kaiba acknowledged Mokuba as he came close, and the two turned to watch the match unfold.

_They better find it. Or else._

* * *

><p>Each duelist activated his Duel Disk, clapping the two platforms together and swinging it so that it was facing the other player. They pulled their five cards and their Life Points meters ignited with electronic digits.<p>

_Here we go._

[Dave LP: (8000)] [Adam LP: (8000)]

While Adam started his turn, Dave looked over his hand. First card was Black Luster Soldier. He lacked its Ritual Spell Card though, but with his Pot of Greed card he could easily pull it in addition to his normal draw. Then he had Black Luster Sword, Dimension Wall, and Black Luster Guard ready to support it if needed. He couldn't have asked for a better starting hand. This game was good as his.

"I activate Graceful Charity," Adam said. A Spell Card appeared depicting a red-haired angel cupping its hands under a glowing, pale card that floated above it. "This card allows me to draw three cards, but discard two."

_So he's gonna dump a Fallen monster into the Grave first thing._

Adam looked over his new cards, then tossed two of them into the red slot of his Duel Disk.

"Next I'll set two cards face-down." Two brown-backed cards flashed a foot ahead of Adam. He pressed a button on his Duel Disk, and an orange card ejected from the red slot. "Now I'll summon my Fallen Koumori Dragon from my Graveyard."

The purple dragon appeared with a burst of flames, its yellow eyes glaring at Dave through the spotlight. (**1500**/1200)

"Your go."

Dave pulled a card, disappointed to see it was Obnoxious Celtic Guard. He reached for his Pot of Greed card, but one of Adam's face-down cards triggered the second he did.

"I activate Extended Trip-Wire. This lets me pick up cards from my deck until I draw a Trap Card. Then, if it can activate, I can use it immediately and send all the other cards to the Graveyard. Otherwise my picked-up cards go back to my deck."

_I see right through that. _Dave touched his finger to Pot of Greed, still preparing to use it. _His real plan is to populate his Graveyard full of Fallen monsters. It doesn't matter what trap he pulls so long as it works._

Adam drew card after card; Dave counted them as he pulled. An orange card. A green card. Another orange card. A third… he continued until finally drew a purple card and slid it into his Duel Disk. At that point he had seven orange cards, monsters, and three green cards, spells, all of them going into his Graveyard. Now he needed to be prepared for anything.

"Since my Ring of Destruction card was drawn, I'll use it to destroy the only monster out – Fallen Koumori Dragon!"

A metallic tire stuck itself around Fallen Koumori Dragon's neck. The dragon attempted to pry it off but fire shot out of the tire's pores, completely submerging it. In a final effort to escape the dragon spread its wings, shooting the flames at both players. Dave shielded himself with his Duel Disk, while Adam took the hit unflinchingly.

[Dave LP: (8000 - 6500)] [Adam LP: (8000 - 6500)]

Dave lowered his arm, glared at his opponent through the smoke. Adam barely seemed to care about the blast. Dave took his Pot of Greed card, slamming it angrily into a random slot.

"I activate Pot of Greed which allows me to draw two cards." He brought the same hand to his deck.

"I chain Exchange of Spirit!"

_No way!_

Upon hearing the card's name, Kaiba perked his attention at Adam. He and Mokuba watched the card rise from their corner, each of them stepping forward to get a better view. Dave was completely taken aback. He couldn't believe he fell for this.

"Since I have fifteen cards in my Graveyard, I can pay 1000 Life Points –" [Adam LP: (6500 - 5500)] "– to have our Graveyards switch places with our decks."

Ghosts spewed out the card's hologram, spiraling chaotically around the arena, a few headed for both players. A cluster of ghosts assaulted Dave, absorbing his deck one card at a time. As one ghost moved away, another one took its place, and the previous ghosts squished itself into Dave's Graveyard. He tried to fan them away, but his arm passed straight through. He had no choice but to wait for the madness to finish. By the end of the mayhem, Dave's deck was gone. Since Pot of Greed needed to take effect, Dave was forced to draw. He still had his hand on the empty compartment, pressing his fingers against the cold gray metal.

_No… this can't be._ Dave's heart became stone. He fell to his knees, found himself paralyzed by trauma.

Audience members shot themselves onto their feet. Despite the impressive move, everyone remained in silent awe, as if expecting more to happen. Even the announcer and, in the dark, Kaiba expressed their amazement. The holograms disintegrated; the platform on Adam's Duel Disk unhinged itself into two separate units. For a moment, the arena seemed to become a place of mourning, as if a murder had just been witnessed.

Josh saw his friend digging his hands into the stage floor. He watched Adam walk over, snapping the announcer out of his trance.

"Dave Litenur has Decked Out. Adam Prince is the winner!"

A delayed uproar filled the stadium, louder than any other before it. Adam held out his hand to Dave, but Dave remained unresponsive. The shock was too much.

_Oh Dave… you were so close._

Kaiba, too, stared at the duelists in horror.

"Seto," Mokuba said. "Seto, what're we gonna do now?"

Kaiba hesitated. "How the hell…"

"Seto."

Mokuba looked to his brother, shaking his arm. Kaiba answered with a glare.

"Stall. I need to find the chief."

With that he waved Mokuba away and whipped open the door, his blazer trailing behind him.

Back on stage, Adam crouched so he was eyelevel with Dave. He began to whisper. "Don't worry. You'll get your chance."

Dave finally acknowledged him. Get his chance? What did that mean? Adam offered his hand again, Dave accepted reluctantly. They stood up, the crowd burst into a deafening frenzy.

"Next up we'll have the Championship Round – Seto Kaiba vs. Adam Prince! But first we'll have a fifte…"

A panic-stricken Mobuka sprinted onto the stage. Josh, probably the only person not caught up in the moment, noticed the announcer's astonishment at his arrival. The announcer leaned in to hear what the teenager was whispering in his ear. When Mokuba stepped back, the announcer held up his microphone.

"Erhrm. We'll be having a thirty minute break, then the Championship Round will begin!"

More cheers wisped across the stadium. Josh saw his friend step down the stage's stairs, using his hat to hide his shame.

* * *

><p>While the remainder of the crowd headed for the lobby, Dave and Josh stayed behind to talk. Dave looked through his deck again, this time with sullen guilt.<p>

"Dave, you okay?" He waited, but Dave continued to search through his deck. "Don't worry about the loss man, you still get to beta test those cards."

Dave stopped, looked to him. "I was _so close_!" He started to sloppily shuffle his deck. "I'm never gonna have a chance like this again."

"You don't know that." Josh said reassuringly. Though, from the way Dave sounded earlier, he knew that Dave was probably right.

"Whatever."

Dave shoved his deck back into his Card Analyzer, collapsing in his chair.

"You wanna go home?"

Dave stared at the floor, sulking.

"Yeah. Let's go…"

* * *

><p>"What do you <em>MEAN<em> we can't leave?"

The security guard shook his head, holding out a hand to protect himself from Dave's outrage.

"I'm sorry sir. Mr. Kaiba's orders. No one is allowed to leave until the tournament is concluded."

"That's ridiculously stupid!" Dave shouted, waving his arms in exasperation. Josh gave a frightened look to the guard, who retracted his jaw. "What if there was a fire or shooting or something! Why the hell would you keep everyone here against their will!"

The security guard remained firm, but gentle. "If that was the case we would override the order. But until then we have to listen to what he says. I'm sorry."

"Dammit!" Dave kicked a nearby pillar and trudged away. Josh stayed behind to apologize but the security guard simply nodded. With that settled, he caught up to Dave, who had started to push his way through the crowd. Josh followed, but struggled to reach him. People started crossing his path almost immediately.

"Dave! Where are you going!"

Dave didn't hear him – whether it was because of the noise or his withdrawn anger, Josh wasn't sure – and headed for the cafeteria door. Though Josh tried, he could not keep up with him. Eventually he was lost in the crowd.

* * *

><p>"Nathan." A voice rang from the police officer's walkie-talkie. He picked it up, quickly trying to fight his way toward the cafeteria door so he could hear it better.<p>

"Yes sir?"

"We have less time than we thought. Please hurry and find that de –"

There was a struggle on the other line, shortly followed by a deafening roar.

"Find that deck NOW!" Kaiba's voice shouted, forcing Nathan to momentarily take the walkie-talkie away from his ear. "If you don't find that deck in twenty minutes I'll be sure to make your life a living hell!"

Nathan's voice started to falter. "On it sir." He hung up just as Kaiba began another barrage of threats. Now he was racing the clock.

He glanced around the crowd at first, waiting to see if he could anyone that looked slightly suspicious. Then he saw him – the same man from before; his gray leather jacket and his black spikey hair contrasting with that single strand of red hair that hung above his nose. This time he wouldn't get away. Nathan silently marched in his direction, only to bump into another man from his haste.

"Ah, I'm sorry," the boy said. It the same kid he had bumped into earlier; the timid one who wore the red sweatshirt.

"It's alright. I'm just in a hurry."

He was about to walk away so the suspect didn't have a chance to escape, but stopped himself. The boy seemed troubled. Nathan cast his gaze at the spikey-haired man, just to make sure he was still there. When he felt secured, he questioned the boy before he left.

"You alright there kid?"

The boy seemed surprised when he asked. "Yeah. My friend just ran off, so I'm trying to find him."

"Oh, I see. Carry on." He nodded, tipping his hat. He was about to pursue the spikey-haired man when the boy started to speak again.

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

Nathan looked again to check if the man had left. He hadn't.

"Sure. What's bothering you kid?"

"What's going on today? I mean, the announcer's acting weird with all these delays and my friend and I weren't allowed to leave before."

Now he was stuck. He needed to think quickly so the boy wouldn't be too concerned. Maybe tell the truth with a detached tone?

"It's nothing. Something valuable was stolen before and the owner was making a fuss about it." He wasn't lying, just leaving out some key details. "Security's playing along just to calm his nerves. There's no need to fret."

"Ah, alright." The boy held out his hand. "Hopefully you find it so we can leave. My friend's angry about his loss and just wants to get outta here."

Nathan accepted the handshake. "Don't worry, you should be able to leave soon."

"Thanks." The boy smiled politely, opened the door to the cafeteria.

_Hopefully this thief isn't too dangerous._ Nathan looked back to the crowd and, once again, the spikey-haired man was gone.

_Shit._

* * *

><p>Josh entered the cafeteria, closing the door behind him. Now that there was a break in the tournament, the whole room was flooded with people waiting for the finals. It would definitely be harder to find Dave in here.<p>

He walked straight ahead, thinking about what the cop had just said to him. Something was stolen. That was easy enough to understand. But wait… he never answered why the announcer was acting weird. Could something have been stolen from him? That didn't make much sense. And he remembered before that all of the cops were looking for it. Was it really that important? Something didn't add up.

Eventually Josh found himself at the center of the cafeteria – in between the wide rows of tables that stretched from one end of the room to the other. Not one seat was vacant in here, and every inch of the tables had either trays or cards laid out on them. He cupped his hand over his eyes in search for Dave but he still didn't see him. Maybe he snuck out?

Josh twisted around, thinking that he would be able to find him from a different vantage point, when he slammed into a person dressed in dull business clothes. He heard a feminine grunt. A briefcase fell to the floor, spilling its contents all over the place.

"Ah, I'm so sorry. Let me help."

He leaned down to pick up the small trinkets, including some make-up, a few sheets of paper, and a blue Card Analyzer. He was about to stand up when he noticed that the hinge securing the Card Analyzer's deck slot was opened, a card was sticking out slightly.

A thought flashed into Josh's mind, something he had heard before.

"_Nathan, hurry up. We need to find that deck."_

Was that what the police officer was referring to? At that moment, another thought hit him.

"_I'm sorry sir. Mr. Kaiba's orders. No one is allowed to leave until the tournament is concluded."_

Mr. Kaiba… Why would he order to seal the exits if it wasn't a big deal? He slipped the card higher to could read its name. Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Now a new voice rang out in his head. This time it was Dave's.

"_They're one of the most powerful Dragon-type monsters in the world. And he owns the only three copies in existence. It's his signature card."_

No… this was Kaiba's deck! He sprung up from shock, but the business woman punched him in the gut, loosening his grip of the Card Analyzer. She snatched it away from him, tossed her scattered belongings into the briefcase and fled from the scene. By the time Josh recovered she was already half way across the cafeteria.

"Stop her!" Josh ordered aimlessly. Curious people nearby turned. "She stole Kaiba's deck!"

Silence brushed along the cafeteria like a droplet of water hitting the surface. Josh chased after her. Others stood up to cut her off but she managed to smack them away with her briefcase. Josh was the only one who was able to follow her trail unflinchingly. The business woman rushed for the exit; as she drew close several people stood up with arms outstretched, successfully blocking her path. She had nowhere to run now.

The woman quietly cursed. Josh approached behind her, followed by others.

"Give it up." "You got nowhere to run now lady." "Give us Kaiba's deck back or else."

A minute smirk spread across her cheeks.

"Hand it over," Josh said, gesturing towards the briefcase. He walked closer, finally recognizing the woman's face. "You… you're the receptionist!"

The receptionist's smile widened. "That's right!" She grasped his arm, tugging on it violently. Josh, having no time to react, found himself clung up against her body. A cold, metal circle touched his neck. The others trembled, backing off subconsciously. Josh tried to speak, he failed. He was paralyzed by fear.

"Alright," the receptionist spoke coldly. "Now I'm gonna leave. If anyone follows me out this door, I'm gonna shoot."

The others exchanged fearful glances, eventually giving in. Those blocking the door stepped aside.

"That's right," she said. She pressed the gun's barrel tighter against Josh's neck, walking him over.

So this was how his life was gonna end. All over a stupid deck of cards.

"Oh no you don't."

The receptionist stopped, glancing over her shoulder. Josh, too afraid to move, barely managed to see who was speaking. But he knew the voice. It was Dave.

"What the hell do you want?" She presented Josh, twisted the gun into his skin. Josh winced in panic. "You know what's gonna happen if anyone tries to stop me."

"What if I make you a deal?" Dave said gravely. "I'll challenge you to a duel. If I win, you let him go and return Kaiba's deck."

The receptionist pulled Josh back by his neck. "The hell I am!"

"I'm not done yet." Dave held out his Card Analyzer. How was he able to stay so calm? "If you win, not only will I let you run off with Kaiba's deck, I'll give you my deck as well so long as he's unharmed."

His deck? The one he spent six years putting together for this tournament. And he was willing to surrender it to save his friend.

_Me._

"Hmmm…" The receptionist was intrigued. "You were a finalist, am I correct?"

Dave stiffened his lips; he nodded.

The receptionist flung Josh at the people near the door, gun poised at them. "You have yourself a deal!"

She bent down, opening her briefcase to expose a Duel Disk inside (how it fit in there Josh will never know). She fitted it onto her left arm, equipping it with Kaiba's Card Analyzer.

"I'm gonna have fun with this."

The receptionist waved her gun at the crowd, forcing them away as she and Dave climbed atop two tables, each separated by three tables in between them. Everyone cleared the area so that the holograms could appear without interference – though it was more likely because they didn't want to be too close if things went wrong. Josh kept an eye on the receptionist's gun, how she stuffed it in her belt before activating her Duel Disk. If he could sneak behind her and take it, then he may be able to overpower her so Dave wouldn't be at risk. But it was too dangerous, and everyone knew it. All they could do was cower while Dave faced off against the most powerful deck in the world.

[Dave LP: (8000)] [Receptionist LP: (8000)]

"I'll start things off," the receptionist said, drawing gleefully.

Josh recalled what Dave had said to him earlier. Kaiba had three Blue-Eyes White Dragons in his deck, so there was a three in forty chance that the receptionist would draw it. As long as Dave took control before that happened, he might be able to win.

"First I'll summon the Lord of Dragons in Attack mode."

On the table in front of the receptionist, a man dressed in a strange costume materialized. Its helmet was shaped like a spiked, eyeless dragon's head, with the man's face being inside its mouth. The off-white design of the helmet continued all the way down the man's costume, and two dragon claws hooked onto its shoulders, connecting its long, night blue cape with the rest of its armor. (**1200**/1100) The man, formally known as Lord of D., held out its tree-bark brown hands and glowered at those who dared to make eye contact with it.

"I know that card," Dave said. His voice never changed pitch. "It prevents all card effects from targeting Dragon-type monsters. But it's useless without any dragons out."

"Yes," the receptionist said, picking out a new card. "But that's about to change. I activate The Flute of Summoning Dragon!"

Dave gritted his teeth, tensed his neck. Many people around Josh started murmuring amongst themselves, clinging onto each other. He didn't know what it meant, but he knew it wasn't good. A golden dragon-shaped flute appeared in Lord of D.'s hand. It held the instrument to its mouth, blowing into the tail, emitting a low roar from the flute.

"This allows me to call out up to two Dragon-type monsters from my hand and summon them. And guess which ones I happen to have on me?"

Josh finally understood. Not even one turn into the game and the crowd had already lost hope.

"Come on out, my blue-eyed beauties!"

Sparkles of light flowed out of the receptionist's Duel Disk, spiraling around each other into two twisters on either side of her. They intertwined, creating two white dragons, looming majestically over her head. Their tails whipped around as they roared, incidentally showing of the three-pronged spikes on either side of their cheeks. People crouched down to avoid the windblasts caused by the dragons thrusting their wings at their new enemy – Dave.

Dave gripped tightly onto the five cards in his hand, feeling the force of the wind pushing against his body. The receptionist cackled madly as each Blue-Eyes White Dragon let out another sound-breaking howl. Strain tightened all of his muscles, his heart was pounding heavily. The odds were against him.

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… Data Found:

**Extended Trip-Wire**

[Trap]

When this card is activated, pick up cards from your Deck until you draw a Trap Card. If the conditions allow, activate the Trap Card immediately and send all the other cards picked up to the Graveyard. If not, send the Trap Card to the Graveyard. Return all other cards picked up to the deck and shuffle it.

**Fallen Koumori Dragon**

Level 4

[Dark]

[Dragon/Tuner]

(1500/1200)

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can Special Summon itself from the Graveyard. You can only Special Summon 1 "Fallen" monster this way per turn. If a non-"Fallen" monster exists in your Graveyard, you may not Special Summon this card this way. This card's name is also treated as "Koumori Dragon". By destroying 1 face-down card on your side of the field, you can negate an opponent's card effect and destroy it.


	10. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine**

[Dave LP: (8000)] [Receptionist LP: (8000)]

Dave kept a stable stance as the receptionist continued her mindless cackle. One turn into the game and she had already summoned two Blue-Eyes White Dragons (**3000**/2500) [x2], as well as protection for them in the form of Lord of D. (**1200**/1100). He angrily waited for her to finish laughing, but it seemed she would never stop.

"You got this Dave," Josh whispered under his breath. A slight chill travelled up his spine at the sight of the dragons, peaking at his neck. He could only imagine the pressure that was on Dave right now.

"Are you done yet?" Dave shouted. Though it was mostly to get the receptionist to end her turn, he was secretly trying to shed his fear of the two bloodthirsty dragons. They were ready to feast, and he was their next meal. The receptionist finally ended her cackling with a snort.

"Phew. Yeah, basically. You got lucky this time around, since my monsters can't attack on the first turn. But I'll set this face-down card so you can have yours."

Dave hesitated before drawing, still eyeing the Blue-Eyes White Dragons. His cards would protect him, but the fear was still there. He needed something that would eliminate the Lord of D. card first before he had any chance of taking them down. He drew. Hope filled his stomach, relieved some pressure off his chest. The blue bordered card would be all that he needed.

"I activate Advanced Ritual Art. This allows me to send Dark Blade and Black Luster Warrior from my deck to the Graveyard to Ritual Summon my Black Luster Soldier!"

Rumbling resonated from the table behind the camouflage-dressed duelist; onlookers scattered out of the way in anticipation. A stone altar rose behind him (despite the fact that it was clearly too heavy to be supported by the table) and the light green ritualistic circle rotated at the center of its floor. Dave tossed the two vanilla bordered cards into it, and a bolt of green lightning shot upward, hitting the ceiling's lights, and sending it back where it came from. A burst of light surged into the ground, leaving the familiar silhouette of a proud warrior in its wake. The warrior unsheathed its sword, dispelling the glowing light around it, and solemnly waited for its orders. (**3000**/2500)

The receptionist grinned. _So this is the card that allowed this boy to reach the finals._ She looked to her opponent; her grin grew. _Let's see how long it can last_.

"Black Luster Soldier," Dave said, pointing. "Attack her Lord of D.!"

"No ya don't!" The receptionist held out her hand, the card before her lifted. "I activate Negate Attack!"

Black Luster Soldier leapt from the altar, bringing its sword near its shoulder. As it fell near the dragon-clothed man, a portal sucked it up and returned it back to its original position, to everyone's dismay.

The receptionist laughed again. "Too bad."

Dave scowled. "I end my turn." He felt those around him shudder.

"Really? Come on! You made it sound like you were to make this a grand performance!"

She browsed over the two cards in her hand, comfortably formulating a strategy. From Josh's perspective, it was more to mock Dave than to think.

"Alright. I set a face-down card and then activate Card of Demise." She skimmed the top of her deck, sliding out several cards in a single motion. "This card allows me to draw cards until I hold five cards in my hand, but in five turns I have to send everything I hold to the Graveyard."

After briefly scanning her new hand, she held up a Spell Card, depicting a red water droplet falling into a lake. The droplet had a face, apparently dreading the fall.

"Next up is Heart of Clear Water. Since my Lord of Dragons has less than 1300 ATK, I can equip this to him and it'll prevent him from being destroyed by anything that directly affects him." A glowing light dripped onto the lord, covering it in a translucent veil of water. It knelt. "Now I'll switch him to Defense Position and end my turn."

Great. Now Dave had another obstacle in his way. With the Lord of D. in Defense Position there was no way to inflict damage to the receptionist's Life Points. And with Heart of Clear Water equipped, any attack against was useless. On top of that, her Blue-Eyes White Dragons were practically indestructible as long as Lord of D. was still on the field.

"Ya know, I'll let you all live if you give up now," the receptionist called out to him, breaking his train of thought. She tilted her head upward, raising her eyebrows sinisterly. "You weren't even good enough to beat a random nobody. How do you expect to beat this kind of power?"

That hit a nerve. Dave clutched onto his deck, pushing the top card up slightly.

"The hell I'm gonna give up!" He drew, revealing his rage. "My turn!"

* * *

><p>Back in the lobby, Nathan worked past the crowd, silently stalking the mysterious man in the gray leather jacket. He was far enough away to avoid detection, but close enough to see the whites of the thief's eyes. A barrier of people, about five feet wide, prevented him from hearing anything the man could be saying, but that was fine. This was the closest he had ever gotten to confronting the evasive bandit.<p>

The man was looking through a deck of Duel Monsters cards, carefully examining each one as if he were studying for a test. He occasionally brushed his fingers over his forehead, pushing the single strand of red hair into the black spikes on his head, only to have it fall back onto his nose. He leaned on the pillar behind him, shifting his eyes in awareness, and then cautiously slid the cards back into a Card Analyzer. When everything was put away, the man glanced around the room again before he started to leave.

_You're not getting away this time._ Nathan ducked his head as the man turned in his direction, making sure to move away as he came close. Once he passed, Nathan proceeded to follow him. He was heading for the opposite side of the lobby, near the room where the deck had been originally stolen. That figured – thieves always return to the scene of the crime.

The man walked nonchalantly towards the door, with Nathan secretly sneaking behind him. He had to be prepared for anything. For all he knew this man was a dangerous criminal. Then again, he could be wrong. This man could also just be a harmless civilian. That happened sometimes. But he was sure this was the guy. He was absolutely sure.

The man eventually stepped away from the crowd, subtly quickening his pace, heading for the back room. Nathan couldn't allow him to get away again. He swiftly tiptoed through the crowd; caught up to the man as he placed his hand on the door knob. Upon sensing Nathan's presence, the man momentarily froze in place.

"Where do you think you're going sir?"

* * *

><p>Josh stepped closer to the receptionist's table, still staring at the gun wedged in her belt. He was too far away to jump up and grab it. And even if he was, by the time he reached her she would surely shoot. He wanted to do something, he had to do something. But he couldn't. It was too dangerous. All he could do was watch Dave fight for their safety.<p>

As he stepped closer to the table he realized he was standing near the same spot where he and Dave ate before Dave's first match. He recalled what Dave had told him during their meal – how he spent the past six years building his deck for this day. Then it clicked. Dave had a card that could 'cripple Kaiba's Blue-Eyes White Dragons' in his deck. No wonder he was so willing to play such a dangerous game – he held the card that could turn the tables in a single move! But only Dave knew what that card was, and there was a chance that he wouldn't draw it in time.

If at all.

"My turn!" Dave said, slapping an orange card beside the blue one. "I summon Black Luster Guard in Defense Position."

A new warrior knelt beside Black Luster Soldier, hiding behind its large rectangular shield. (200/**1800**)

"Another warrior? What good is that gonna do you? Its DEF is way too low to survive a blast from my Blue-Eyes White Dragons. Especially when I activate my face-down card!"

A purple bordered card rose, hiding the receptionist's legs from sight. "When my Aqua Chorus is activated all monsters that share the same name gain 500 ATK and DEF for every copy on the field!"

Gasps filled the cafeteria; a soothing chant emitted from the Trap Card. An azure aura surrounded both of the blue dragons, which drifted closer to each other to symbolize their shared power. (**3000 - 3500**/2500 - 3000) [x2]

"Next turn I'll wipe out your two warriors and then it's all over from there!"

"We'll see about that." Dave tapped a button on his Card Analyzer. "I'll remove three of the four Black Luster Counters from Black Luster Guard in order to summon three Black Luster Guard Tokens."

Each gem on Black Luster Guard's shield sparkled and a beam of light flew out of them, leaving only the bottom corner one remaining. The beams swirled around Dave, causing his jacket and hair to flutter, before flowing gracefully into the table. The beams spread out, and when the light faded, three new copies of Black Luster Guard stood, leaving two on either side of Black Luster Soldier.

The receptionist shrugged. "So it'll take an extra turn to tear down your wall. Big deal."

"Who said I was using my guards as a shield?" Dave said, grinning. He held up another card.

A familiar card.

"I activate Black Luster Ritual!"

Sky-blue flames ignited around the table supporting Dave's five warriors. The receptionist raised an arm, clearly taken aback. The four Black Luster Guards lowered their shields, succumbing to the flames swirling around them. Dave extended his arm – the Spell Card in his hand sucked up the embers until only the lone soldier remained at his side. When his field was cleared, he chucked the card, which exploded in an intense blue light.

Josh covered his eyes, but the light still seeped into his vision. This could only mean one thing.

"What the hell are you doing?" the receptionist yelled, closing her eyes tightly.

Dave smiled, watching the light dim. The receptionist, and the others, finally opened their eyes, cautiously looking around the room. Their vision blurred at first, but they slowly regained their sight. At first the receptionist thought that she was seeing double. But she was wrong. There were indeed two Black Luster Soldiers standing in front of her. (**3000**/2500)

"That can't be…"

"That's right. Just like how Kaiba has three Blue-Eyes White Dragons his deck, _I_ have three Black Luster Soldiers in mine!"

The receptionist straightened her posture. "Not like it matters. My dragons are still stronger than your soldiers."

Dave smiled again. "Are you so sure?"

Both Black Luster Soldiers unsheathed their swords, clanging them together to form an 'X' in between them. As the sound rang in everyone's eardrums, an azure aura loomed around the two monsters. (**3000 - 3500**/2500 - 3000) [x2]

The receptionist gawked.

"That's right. Your Aqua Chorus affects my monsters as well!"

Steady cheers gradually built across the cafeteria, eventually peaking when everyone started chanting his name.

"Dave! Dave! Dave!" "You got this Dave!" "Finish her off!" "Show her who's boss!"

Josh contributed as well. "Way to go Dave!" He presented the thumbs sign; Dave acknowledged it by smiling once more, moving his right hand closer to his left.

"I'll place one card face-down and end my turn."

That really was a great move. He managed to use her own card against her to even the field. Now all he had to do was get rid of Lord of D. and he could win.

_And if she somehow manages to make her Blue-Eyes White Dragons stronger my Covering Fire card will stop her in her tracks,_ Dave thought, content with his slight advantage.

"I wouldn't celebrate yet," she said, prying a card from her deck. "I activate Dragon's Gunfire. Since I have a Dragon-type monster on the field I can inflict 800 damage to your Life Points!"

Dave took a half step back. One of the Blue-Eyes White Dragons charged up a red fireball. He knew this blast wasn't its natural attack, since it would normally be pale-blue. Blue-Eyes White Dragon launched the meteor-like fireball, bypassing both of Dave's monsters, striking him directly in the chest. [Dave LP: (8000 - 7200)] He fell to his knees, relaxed when he realized the attack was over. Although that was the first move to lower either player's Life Points, the damage was minimal, so he had plenty of time to fight back. He stood up as the receptionist summoned a new monster – a wingless reptile with a rugged, stone build. It bared its claws, holding them to its head for protection.

"As long as Golem Dragon (200/**2000**) is out you can't attack any of my other Dragon-type monsters." She swung her arm to the side. "Make your move."

Dave did as he was told. _Perfect._ He slid the new Spell Card into his Duel Disk with subtle enthusiasm.

"I activate Black Luster Helmet." A new helmet wrapped around one of the soldier's heads, sparkling as ten of its gems illuminated under the cafeteria's lighting. "Now I'll remove four of my helmet's ten Black Luster Counters to add Black Luster Sword to my hand." He presented the card to her. "And now I'll equip it to my other Black Luster Soldier, giving it 1000 extra ATK!"

The receptionist swallowed her gasp while the Black Luster Soldier took possession of its new blade. (**3500 - 4500**/3000) _This could be an issue._ She looked back to her hand in search of a solution.

"Now my Black Luster Soldier," Dave said, instructing the stronger one. "Attack her Golem Dragon!"

Black Luster Soldier, with its sword in hand, dashed across the tables. It used its momentum to stab straight through the dragon's stone claws, causing it to explode into a pile of rubble as the soldier jumped away.

"That ends my turn." Dave put his hand to his side as well. They were evenly matched before this, but now he clearly had the advantage her over. Next turn her dragons would be gone.

The receptionist calmly added a new card to her collection. "Alright. First off I'll activate Magic Reflector."

A mechanical spider materialized onto the field, climbing awkwardly up the hologram of the Heart of Clear Water card. Once it was secured, it latched itself to the card and a satellite dish opened.

"As long as this thing is attached, my Heart of Clear Water can't be destroyed by card effects."

So it would take an extra turn to get rid of it. Not a big deal since now he could just destroy her Blue-Eyes White Dragons by attacking them.

"And now I activate this card – A Wingbeat of Giant Dragon!"

Dave nearly dropped his cards. "No!"

"That's right! I'll return my Blue-Eyes to my hand to destroy all Spell and Trap cards on the field!"

The dragon on her left raised its body so that it was standing erect and let out a screeching roar. It forcefully flapped its wings repeatedly, creating a wave of whirlwinds, ripping the air with its power. People narrowly evaded plates and trays from surrounding tables that were sent fluttering around the room. Dave planted his feet to prevent himself from becoming airborne.

His face-down Trap Card flew into the air like a sheet of paper, not only revealing its identity, but ripping it to shreds. One of the Black Luster Soldiers lost its grip on its Black Luster Sword, allowing it to slip out of its hand, shattering against the wall on the opposite side of the room. The other soldier's helmet flung off its head, crashing into the ceiling, instantly flattening it into a pancake. The remaining cards fell to the same fate as Dave's face-down card; the only exception being Heart of Clear Water, which was protected by a small barrier generated by the Magic Reflector.

A tiny twister of scraps fluttered around the field once the winds died down. The azure aura surrounding the soldiers and dragons was gone. The robot shielding Heart of Clear Water, now drained of all its energy, dismantled itself, clumsily dropping to the floor. The unarmed Black Luster Soldier unsheathed its original sword, now aware that its power was even with its rivals'.

Everyone managed to recuperate, cleaning themselves of any garbage that been thrown at them. Rainbow flashes transformed the Blue-Eyes White Dragon that had summoned the winds into a burst of pure energy, sucking itself back into the card in between the receptionist's fingertips.

"Looks like I have the advantage now." She stuck out her tongue, gesturing for Dave to start his turn.

[Blue-Eyes White Dragon (**3500 - 3000**/3000 - 2500)]

[Black Luster Soldier (**3500 - 3000**/3000 - 2500)]

[Black Luster Soldier (**4500 - 3000**/3000 - 2500)]

Dave looked around the room, seeing the flurry of frightened faces around him, reminding him of their fear. He saw Josh who, even during the windblasts, was still transfixed on the gun in the receptionist's belt. Dave had enough; he glared angrily at the receptionist. This was the last straw.

He drew wordlessly. The receptionist was right in one respect but wrong in another. She did have the advantage since she still had her dragons protected by Lord of D., which was protected by Heart of Clear Water. But at the same time she was out numbered. Dave had two 3000 ATK monsters while she only had one. He could easily destroy his own monster to take down her Blue-Eyes, but then he would still have to deal with the indestructible spellcaster kneeling before him.

Luckily, his newest card would allow him to do just that.

"I summon this monster," he showed it to the crowd, then to the receptionist. He was serious this time – nothing was going to distract him. "Black Luster Knight, reveal yourself!"

The young knight hopped between its two superiors, somberly flashing its gauntlets to show their glowing streaks. (**1400**/1200) Dave gave no time to breathe before barking out his next order.

"By removing a counter from my knight I'll increase the ATK of all my monster by 200."

Black Luster Knight flicked its wrist, snapping a streak off its gauntlets as it reached for its sword.

[Black Luster Soldier (**3000 - 3200**/2500)] [x2]

[Black Luster Knight (**1400 - 1600**/1200)]

The receptionist twirled her hair with her finger. "So what? I've got plenty of resources to beat a measly 200 point boost."

"I'm not done yet," Dave said fiercely. The receptionist subconsciously repressed her twitch, brought her hand near her waist. Dave turned to his monsters as he spoke again. "Now Black Luster Knight, tune together with your fellow Black Luster Soldier!"

_What could he be planning?_ The receptionist thought. _That would make it a Level 11 monster he's trying to Synchro Summon, there's only a few of those in existence._

Black Luster Knight's body disappeared in a burst of pale blue energy, forming three circles that wrapped themselves around the soldier beside him. The soldier slowly dissolved into eight tiny stars, spinning rapidly around the three circles until they formed a glistening twister of light.

"Synchro Summon! Black Luster General!"

A proud general appeared in the dissipating twister, the glitter floating gently around its black suit. The general adjusted its cap, revealing five dulled stars on it; the center three lit up to match the lustrous glow of the rest of its badges, showing off its achievements. Two black cannons rested beside it, kept in place by anchoring its golden wheels into the floor. The general positioned them so that they aimed at the receptionist's monsters, then stood with a solemn stare. (**3600**/3000)

The receptionist yawned. "That whole light show for a senile old man? It's gonna take more than that to stop me."

Dave pressed a button on his Card Analyzer – a green bordered card ejected out of his Duel Disk's slot. "When Black Luster General is Synchro Summoned I get to return a 'Black Luster' card from my Graveyard to my hand, so I'll take back my Black Luster Sword."

"What difference does it make?" The receptionist fanned herself with her cards. "I still have all three of my Blue-Eyes waiting to tear you apart. Power or no power, you don't stand a chance with the defenses I've built up for them."

"I don't think so." Dave gestured to his general, who promptly saluted. "When my Black Luster General is summoned, three Black Luster Counters are placed on it. By removing one of them I'm able to destroy any card on the field."

The receptionist let out an exasperated sigh, quickly recomposed herself. "How many times to I have to tell you? Lord of Dragons prevents my Dragons from being targeted by card effects, and it can't be destroyed either. Your veteran is a wasted effort."

"That's what you think." Dave pointed his finger, exposing his true target. "Black Luster General, destroy her Heart of Clear Water!"

"What?" The receptionist gawked. Black Luster General brought its hand down from its cap, vanquishing its center star to power up its cannons. It took aim, ensuring that it wouldn't miss.

"Attack with Order Barrage!"

"Hmph." With a wave of the general's hand, cannonballs burst out of the cannons, leaving a trail of smoke in their wake. They darted across the room, smashing into the Spell Card one at a time, shattering it instantly. The receptionist shielded herself from the tiny flying fragments that flew around her. The lord's protection melted off, splashing onto the seats below.

"Now I'll equip my Black Luster Soldier with Black Luster Sword, boosting its ATK by 1000 points." A glow submerged the warrior's old blade, transforming it into the aforementioned sword. Its gems' sparking light reflected in the warrior's eyes. (**3200 - 4200**/2500) Dave pointed his finger again, this time viciously. "Black Luster Soldier, destroy her Blue-Eyes White Dragon! Attack!"

The soldier leapt across the tables, slicing its blade through the dragon's neck, arching gracefully next to the dragon lord as the beast exploded from the wound. [Receptionist LP: (8000 - 6800)]

Cautious clapping showered the cafeteria, congratulating Dave for his comeback. He stood proudly, forgetting the dangers for the first time since the match began.

Josh's applause was delayed – he could hardly believe Dave was doing so well under so much pressure. With the Blue-Eyes White Dragons gone and the field secured nothing could possibly go wrong.

"You're lucky," Dave said, smirking. "Since I used Black Luster General's destruction effect it can't attack this turn so you're Lord of Dragons has one last turn to live." He paused to relish the moment. "It's your turn."

The receptionist hesitated – at first she appeared to be distraught but that thought vanished upon her hysteric laughter. The return of her cackling struck urgency into the crowd, even causing the once proud Dave to gawk.

She continued to cackle between each word she spoke. "You really think it's over?" She drew, presenting the card. "I activate Graceful Charity." She drew three more times, keeping her fingers near her hand. "This allows me to draw three cards…" She held up two vanilla-bordered cards. Everyone immediately recognized them as the remaining copies of Blue-Eyes White Dragon. "…and discard two."

Josh glanced back and forth continuously between the two duelists. _But why would she throw away the strongest cards in her deck?_

_Is she doing what I think she's doing?_ Dave brought his arms closer to his torso.

The receptionist slid both Blue-Eyes White Dragon cards into the red slot, returning her attention to her hand, only to hold up another Spell Card.

"Now I'll activate the Dragon's Mirror."

Dave dropped his jaw, horrified by the picture, but Josh couldn't understand why. It must be a trick.

Shadows created from her hair cast onto the receptionist's face – her sinister laughter intensified as a golden mirror rose up behind her. Its sides vaguely resembled a dragon's wings, and the glare in its glass reminded Dave of the Copycat card that was used against him a few duels ago. Something was coming.

"This allows me to banish the three Blue-Eyes White Dragons in my Graveyard to summon one of the most powerful dragons in existence." She turned to the mirror, seemingly searching for her reflection. Upon her gaze came the image of the Blue-Eyes White Dragons, each wriggling around in their prison, trying to get a view of the human world. The receptionist smirked again, turned back to Dave, and raised her arm violently into the air.

"Now rise – Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"

The three dragons rammed their heads through the glass, shooting pieces across the room, forcing others to duck. They proceeded to squirm out of the now shattered mirror, destroying the golden frame, reducing it to a discarded trinket of the past. As their necks flowed out, they exposed their body – a single unit connecting the three beasts together. They roared in unison, sending a jolting awareness into Dave, signaling their lust for vengeance.

Dave held onto the tip of his hat, looked among the crowd for support, but none came. All he could do was stare at the three-headed dragon as it spread its wings wide, cutting off any hope for escape.

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… Data Found:

**Glass Shatter**

[Trap/Counter]

Negate the effect of a card that activates in response to an attack and destroy it. All Battle Damage your opponent would receive is doubled for this attack only.

**Black Luster General**

Level 11

[Earth]

[Warrior/Synchro/Effect]

(3600/3000)

"Black Luster Knight" + 1 or more non-tuner Warrior-type monster(s)

When this card is Synchro Summoned, add 1 card with "Black Luster" from your Graveyard to your hand. When this card is summoned, place 3 Black Luster Counters on this card (max. 5). Once per turn, by removing 1 Black Luster Counter from this card, destroy 1 card on the field. This card cannot declare an attack on the turn this effect is used.


	11. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

This was the moment he had been waiting for. After going through so much trouble to get where he was, this would be the deciding moment of his career. Once this thief was arrested, he would finally be acknowledged as a real police officer instead of just a new hire.

"I'm going to repeat myself one last time," Nathan said, keeping his stance stiff and rigid. "Where do you think you're going?"

The supposed thief cautiously lifted his hand off the doorknob, bringing it slowly to the side of his black jeans.

"I was looking to get away from the crowd," the thief said, calmly. "I need to think before my match against Kaiba."

"A likely story," Nathan remarked, even though he had seen this man in the stadium earlier. "Tell me your name and what you're doing?"

The man raised his eyebrows, then lowered them. It wasn't a twitch; more like a warning.

"My name is Adam Prince. I'm participating in the tournament and made it past the final round. I just wanted to get away from everyone so I can prepare my deck in peace." Adam took a second to think. Liars always did this. "Kaiba is a tough opponent. I need to be sure that my cards are able to handle his and I can't think straight when I'm in public."

"So you decide to go into an off-limits hallway just so you can 'think'?" Nathan hoped that his tough-guy act was working. After a while he wouldn't be able to keep it up.

"Yes," Adam said. He had him now.

"Sir, are you aware that a deck had been stolen during the second round of this tournament?"

Adam raised his eyebrows, only to lower them again. Now _that_ was a twitch.

"No, I'm completely unaware," he said in an unconvincing tone.

"Well," Nathan began. "I'm going to have to check your Card Analyzer in case you happen to be connected to the thief." He put out his hand, sharply forcing eye contact. "Hand it over."

Adam hesitated, staring back into Nathan eyes. His stare was cold and mysterious. Nathan nearly cracked until he saw Adam reach for his belt, allowing the officer to regain his posture. Adam handed Nathan the handheld device, noting that it had a small lock on the deck box slot.

"Allow me," Adam said. He punched in the code on the Card Analyzer's touch screen, and the slot opened with a click.

This caught Nathan off guard. But if anything, it made the evidence more valuable. Thieves always know how to break locks. How else did he get inside that safe?

"Thank you," Nathan said, recuperating. He brushed his index finger into the box, allowing the cards to float up with it. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Just a bunch of brown-backed cards that everyone else in world had, but that didn't prove anything. He flipped a card over, revealing its pale border.

The revelation came as a shock, but it was expected. This was definitely Kaiba's deck. His eyes raced along, barely catching the details in his inner excitement. The picture was a dragon. That clue alone meant nothing until he saw the end of its name. The final word was 'Dragon' and, upon glancing towards the other side, he saw that the center word was 'Eyes'. He contained his urge to shout, but searched some more just to prove Adam's guilt further. On the bottom of the card, he noted that one of the stats had three zeros next to each other. Well, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon has 3000 ATK, so everything added up perfectly. This had to be the card.

Nathan slid the card back into the deck box, returning his gaze to Adam, whose stare hadn't changed since he confiscated the deck.

"Sir, I'm afraid you're going to have to come with me." He reached for this handcuffs, but his hand found his walkie-talkie instead.

"Attention all officers," a voice rang out from its speaker. Nathan jerked his hand away from the unexpected sound. It was the chief. "An unauthorized duel is taking place in the cafeteria. A woman has the entire room hostage and she has been reported to hold Kaiba's deck. Everyone focus all efforts to securing the building and getting those people away from her immediately."

Nathan stumbled a bit, turned sharply to Adam, who brushed his fingers along his spikey hair, only to hold his hand out in the end. Pleasure was never evident on his face the whole time, but Nathan knew he was relieved.

"Can I have my deck back?"

The officer opened the deck box again, sliding the same card out. He had mistaken; this card was a Synchro Monster. He closed the box, clicking the lock, and handed it back to Adam.

"I'm truly sorry sir." He bowed, taking off his cap.

Adam held out his hand. "It's fine. You were doing your job."

Nathan looked up, awkwardly accepting the handshake. He probably looked like an idiot at this point.

"Hopefully you can get everyone out safely."

That returned him to the real world. "Right, carry on sir." Nathan let go, throwing his cap on his head and darting back into the crowd.

Adam watched him go, turned to the door behind him. "So it's true. She is here after all…"

* * *

><p>Terror surged throughout Dave's body, replacing his pulse with a quick jolt of electricity, sparking along each of his nerves one at a time. He knew this might happen, but hoped that the duel would be over before the receptionist was able to summon it. But it was too late for that. Now the three-headed beast stood before him – the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon. (<strong>4500<strong>/3800)

_4500 ATK?_ Josh thought. _Dave hasn't been able to bring out _anything_ with that kind of power._ He looked to Dave, saw the mutual fear beating in his eyes. _What the hell did he get himself into?_

The receptionist dusted off her shoulder, ridding herself of any dirt that had flown on her from her monster's summoning. She grinned.

"From the look on your face I can tell that you're out of options." She eyed the general (**3600**/3000), who stood unflinchingly despite the panic that had spread around the room. Its cannons were still aimed at the Ultimate Dragon. "Well, your general can still destroy it with its effect, but I'm about to take care of that." She pointed at the monster. "Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, eradicate his Black Luster General! Neutron Blast!"

Each head opened its mouth, charging up an energy sphere that radiated with a fierce glow. After the spheres exceeded the mouth's size, they released the blasts, sending three beams forward with overwhelming force. The beams wrapped around each other, converging into a single, larger beam that accelerated faster than a single Blue-Eyes White Dragon could ever dream. Black Luster Soldier jumped out of the way before the beam came too close. The blast deluged Black Luster General, engulfing it in a stream of white light. Dave grasped onto his hat to prevent from flying off, pulling it down over his eyes. When he lifted it back up, a large scorch mark spread where Black Luster General once stood. Nothing remained of the general expect a wisp of smoke and evaporated hope.

[Dave LP: (7200 - 6300)] [Receptionist LP: (6800)]

"Alright! I'm on a roll!" The receptionist yelled enthusiastically, to the dismay of everyone around her. She picked out a new card, showing Dave a Spell Card that featured a meteorite falling through the sky with a pink energy trail in its wake. "Now I'll activate Fairy Meteor Crush and equip it to Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, enabling it to inflict damage even when it attacks a monster in Defense Mode!"

A dark pink aura radiated around the three-headed dragon; it retracted its necks closer to its body, soon embracing the newly acquired ability with a red gleam in its six eyes.

Dave still stared at the spot where Black Luster General had been obliterated. _If I summon any more monsters my Life Points will be gone before I know it._ He distantly gazed at his remaining monster. His favorite monster. _And so will my deck. And everyone…_

This was the first time since the Ultimate Dragon had been summoned where he acknowledged those around him. He wasn't playing a game anymore.

He was playing for their lives.

The receptionist snapped her fingers, breaking Dave out of his trance.

"Hello there," the receptionist mocked, waving a hand. "I said it's your turn."

Dave refused to answer, instead ripped a card out of his Duel Disk. He glanced over his hand, but nothing he held could even put a dent into that dragon. What he needed was a miracle.

His eyes darted to his soldier – it also shakily glared at the dragon, gripping onto its gem-encrusted sword (**4200**/2500). Even it was scared. And it was a hologram.

"Alright, look," the receptionist butted in again. "There's no way you're gonna win so just surrender and I may let you go."

Dave grimaced; his monster mimicked his facial expression. "And there's no way I'm gonna give in to a coward like you."

The receptionist snorted again, resting her free hand on her pocketed gun. "Suit yourself. Just hurry up. I don't have all day."

_Be careful Dave,_ Josh thought, stepping back sub-consciously. _You're in no position to make insults._

Dave searched the field again, averting his eyes away from the three-headed dragon. His gaze fell upon another monster – Lord of D. (1200/**1100**) – that had gone unnoticed behind the tremendous creature next to it. _Even with the boosts from Black Luster Knight and Black Luster Sword, my Black Luster Soldier isn't strong enough to take on her Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon. If I have any chance of destroying it, I'll need to get rid of that thing ASAP._

"Black Luster Soldier," Dave commanded, urging the warrior into a fighting position. "Attack her Lord of Dragons!"

The soldier darted forward, skipping over the gap in between the tables – high enough to make the leap, but low enough to avoid the dragon's three necks – and carrying its sword to protect itself from any sudden attack from the beast above it. Though it was hidden behind the dragon's left wing, Black Luster Soldier coaxed it out of hiding by slamming its sword on the ground by its feet. The lord nervously jumped away, giving the soldier the opening it needed to slay it with ease.

Beside the battle scene, the dragon groaned ominously. Thinking that it would strike, the soldier rushed to Dave's side, sweat racing off its face.

"It's your move." He sighed. _Only a minor dent in a huge obstacle._ _I need to draw that card, or this could be my last duel._ Once again, he weakly glanced at the crowd, the children, the adults. Josh.

_And theirs…_

* * *

><p>"Mr. Kaiba," the chief said. He, the Kaiba brothers, and the army of police officers surrounding them hurried through the vestibule. Others moved aside in wonder and confusion, though they could tell they weren't playing around. "It's confirmed that the deck is fully intact. The thief is dueling one of the finalists in your tournament, and it appears that she also is under your employment."<p>

"Of course she is," Kaiba snarled, as if he knew the whole time. "How else could someone bypass my security system unless they were on the inside?"

"Seto," Mokuba said, quickening his pace to match his brother's. "Do you think this has to do with what Pegasus said?"

Kaiba stiffened slightly; only Mokuba noticed. "I don't know Mokuba. But I do know that it has to do with my Blue-Eyes White Dragon cards."

_Still, that doesn't mean the two aren't connected,_ he thought. He stared at the ground by his feet while he walked. _If this thief went through the trouble of keeping her affiliation hidden then maybe it's worth paying Pegasus a visit._ He moved his gaze ahead of him. The group finally arrived outside the cafeteria's double doors. _After all, Pegasus owns the company that created Duel Monsters while I own the company that changed its history…_

Two officers opened the door on his respective side, slamming them against the wall on the opposite side. Kaiba walked in, with Mokuba and the chief beside them. Everyone in the room turned to look. Their expressions ranged from relief to agony, though Kaiba paid them no attention. His focus immediately fell on the duel elevated above the others – the finalist, Dave, on one side with his signature Black Luster Soldier, and his Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon on the other. Behind it was the thief; a lowly receptionist he had never met before.

Dave subtly moved his eyes to the noise. _Kaiba!_

The receptionist snickered. "Ah, the man of the hour!" She held up a hand, motioning towards the dragon. "Glad you could finally come and see me duel after all our time working together."

Kaiba remained hardened. "Do I know you?"

The receptionist clutched both hands into fists, returning her raised hand to her side. "Of course you don't!" she howled. She practically spewed venom with each word. "Ever since you took over your father's company I've been treated like a rat at the bottom of a well!"

Mokuba and the chief exchanged puzzled looks. Kaiba stepped forward, waving his arm across his chest.

"Maybe if you had some manners you'd earn some respect."

"Respect!" she stomped her foot. Josh could've sworn he saw a woodchip fly. "When this company was a weapons manufacturer I was one of the top gun specialists in the nation! But then you beat your step-daddy in a little competition and boom! Back to the bottom of the food chain for me!"

The receptionist flailed herself madly around the table, overwhelmed by her anger. Everyone looked on in consternation, but Kaiba didn't react.

Josh cringed. _This lady's completely insane._

"But now I'll have my revenge! Once I take your deck back to my _new_ boss, we'll be one step closer to ruining this company and eventually I'll burn it down with my bare hands!"

Dave glanced back to the receptionist. _Her new boss? So she's not just some desperate psycho?_

She slammed her hand to her hip, whipping it out the gun, aiming it at Kaiba's forehead. Mokuba jumped. Collective gasps swept throughout the crowd. "Any last words, Seto Kaiba!"

"Yeah," Kaiba said, staring past the barrel, into the receptionist's glare. "Put that toy away before you blow your eye out. Then you can give me back my deck while you take your sob story to your oh-so-wonderful new boss, you worthless bitch."

"_Bitch!_" If she wasn't an armed criminal Dave might've started laughing. The receptionist lowered her gun, trembling with rage. "I'll show you who's a bitch! Right after I wipe this kid out with _your _deck!"

Kaiba gave a sarcastic laugh. "Please. You honestly think you have what it takes to handle the power of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon? No one can use my deck but me. Just because you hold my cards doesn't mean you know my strategies." He turned his body, looking directly at Dave. "In fact, I bet your dueling skills are so poor that Dave here can beat you in one move."

Dave felt a warm beat thrust through his heart. He made eye contact with Kaiba. _He does?_

"Dave, don't let this bitch prove me wrong."

Dave nodded. _I guess that was a compliment._

"Yeah? _YEAH_?" She stiffly shoved in gun back into her belt, twisting herself back towards the duel. "I'm not gonna let you get away with your abuse. I'll show you all the power of revenge! It's my turn!" She pulled a new card, inwardly grinning at it. _Especially now that I just drew Kaiba's strongest Trap Card – the Crush Card Virus. _She fumbled with it in between her fingers. _All I need is a weaker DARK monster and I'll be able to destroy nearly every monster in Dave's deck. Then nothing will be able to stop me._

Mokuba leaned closer to Kaiba, whispering in his ear. "Seto, are you crazy? After all the trouble you went through to get your deck back, you're really going to risk it all here?"

"I know what I'm doing Mokuba." His eyes never left the camouflaged duelist. _Let's just hope Dave doesn't screw things up._

The receptionist added the card to her hand, glanced up at the Ultimate Dragon. "Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, wipe out his Black Luster Soldier! Neutron Blast!"

The three-headed dragon prepared another trio of energy spheres, seemingly enjoying the demise of its final opponent. Unleashing the blast onto the warrior, the spiraling beam gradually sped up as it came close to its target. Black Luster Soldier, poised with both sword and shield in hand, boldly stared at the beam, its white glow shining in its eyes.

_This game is mine._ The receptionist smiled sinisterly. _Who's the bitch now!_

"…Now!"

The command from Dave caught everyone off guard, especially the receptionist.

Black Luster Soldier spun around, its shield and armor glimmering with the light of the fatal beam, its red ponytail twirling as it twirled. The warrior completed its circular turn on one knee, swinging its sword inches from its face. Using the momentum from its spin, the soldier deflected the light into the ceiling, creating an array of sparkling twisters scouring through the air.

For a moment, silence filled the room. Then, brave cheers erupted behind Dave, soon engulfing the entire cafeteria. Black Luster Soldier rose to its feet, focusing so intently on its task that it failed to notice the shower of applause. It peered at the blade in its hand, turning the handle with its thumb. Of the ten tiny gems, only five were glowing. But, at that moment, one of them died out, leaving only four.

The receptionist growled. She saw the stupid grin on Dave's face, the pitiful joy of his 'fans'. She darted her eyes at Kaiba, who stood emotionlessly scowling at her the whole time. Her blood boiled.

"You triggered the effect of my Black Luster Sword," Dave stated with pride. "When you declare an attack against the equipped monster, I can remove a Black Luster Counter from it to negate the attack. But, since it lost a counter, Black Luster Soldier loses 200 ATK."

[Black Luster Soldier (**4200 - 4000**/2500)]

Josh exhaled, relief flowing out of his lungs. _Thank god…_

The receptionist growled again; this time loud enough for her opponent to hear. She clutched her hand to her belt, swiped her gun from it, sent two shots out towards the sky. Everyone ceased their cheering, breathlessly scampered away.

"One more sound uttered from you vermin and I'll shoot you all right here." Her eyes shot daggers at random crowd members, then at her former prisoner – Josh – then at Dave. "Don't think for a second that I'm going to let you get away alive." She shoved her gun back into her belt. "Take your turn."

Dave quietly complied.

Josh, who had ducked his head under his arms when the receptionist started shooting, cautiously tilted his head, gazing back at the duel. _Dave, I hope that card of yours works, 'cause I don't think I can take much more of this._

_This isn't good,_ Dave thought, intensely staring at the card he drew. The picture seemed to be lurching out at him, sucking him into its blue border. His third Black Luster Soldier. If it had been just a few turns earlier he would have celebrated. But now – with everything stacked against him – it was a dead draw.

Dead. Just like he would be.

_My Black Luster Sword's effect won't last forever, and with Fairy Meteor Crush equipped to her dragon I won't be able to summon any more monsters without taking a heavy hit to my Life Points._ But he couldn't do anything now. Defending was his only option.

Black Luster Soldier knelt.

"I switch my Black Luster Soldier to Defense Mode and end my turn." He didn't look up from his Duel Disk after turning the card's position on its platform. He could feel everyone's shameful stares stabbing into his skin.

"Where's your confidence now?" The receptionist gave a halfhearted laugh, quickly reverting back to her annoyed expressions. "It's my turn."

_Yes._ She held her new card to eye level – it was a clown monster, dressed in baggy, striped clothes. _Peten the Dark Clown fits Crush Card Virus's requirements perfectly. _She moved the card out of her line of sight, her gaze falling onto the kneeling soldier. _And I'll finally be rid of that pesky Black Luster Soldier._

"Alright, first I'll summo –"

A loud ringing sound emitted out of the receptionist's Duel Disk, awakening everyone from their gloomy daze like an alarm clock early in the morning. Dave raised an eyebrow, watched the receptionist share his confusion. She found the source of the sound, noticing that the meter on her Duel Disk read the word 'DISCARD' instead of her Life Point total.

Kaiba chuckled softly, but loud enough for the receptionist to take notice.

"Seems that you've activated Card of Demise before I showed up to your 'party'," he said, crossing his arms. "'Cause five turns after Card of Demise is used you're force to discard your hand. Of course, if you were a competent duelist you'd be able to remember that." He waved a hand, pretending to bask in the light. "Or maybe it's just 'cause your math skills are that of a rodent's."

The chief cracked a smile – though it vanished when the receptionist thrust her cards into her Graveyard.

"Doesn't matter." She pointed to her opponent. "I've got all the power I need! Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, Neutron Blast!"

"Black Luster Soldier, block!"

Another stream of static burst out of the dragon heads, fusing into a single beam. Black Luster Soldier heaved its sword like a bat, knocking the beam away before it could do any harm. Though the soldier remained intact, another gem on its sword dulled. (4000 - 3800/**2500**)

Dave grimaced. _Only three turns left before my sword gives out._

"Well, that was disappointing." She twirled her hand, cocking her wrist at Dave. "Your turn."

He drew – a Spell Card depicting some sort of ancient Egyptian rifle. It could save him, but he needed a lot of luck.

A _lot_ of luck.

"I activate Reload. This allows me shuffle my hand back into my deck and then draw an equal number of cards." He folded the four remaining cards together, slid them into his deck, only to slide the deck out. He took the bottom half, choppily placed it on top, continuing the pattern while the crowd watched nervously.

_So he has four chances to draw that card._ Josh was hopeful, but it was hard to stay optimistic when an armed criminal stood a few yards away. _Please draw that card._

Finally, the camouflaged duelist returned his deck to his Duel Disk, proceeding to draw one card at a time. First card was Forced Back. Useless. Next card, Obnoxious Celtic Guard. Even worse. Third card, his third copy of Black Luster Soldier. Dave saw its return as a sign of good fortune – if he was able to draw it again then that means his deck was thinning out. He would be able to draw that card. He closed his eyes, slowly pulling the card out. Pressing the corner with his index finger and thumb, he opened his eyes, the picture reflecting in his stare.

Luster Dragon.

Dave glared at the held card for a long time. For a second Josh thought that he was forming a new strategy, until he uttered the words that shattered any remaining optimism.

"I… I end my turn." Dave lowered his gaze, the rim of his hat acting as a veil, hiding his fear-filled pupils.

"This isn't looking good," Mokuba whispered. The chief nodded. Kaiba heard him, didn't acknowledge his words. He crossed his arms.

_Don't make me regret my decision._

The receptionist grinned sinisterly. "How quickly things change." She whipped her hair back, holding a lone card between her fingertips. "You started this duel with naïve hope of winning. Now look at you! You're practically cowering before me!"

Dave clutched his fists, refused to look up.

Josh wanted to say _"Don't let her get to you!"_ but he was afraid as well. He couldn't stand here and watch her insult his friend, yet that was exactly what he was doing.

If only he was more courageous…

"Anyway, it's my turn." _Ah, looks like Kaiba got some new cards._ She fumbled with the Spell Card in her hand. _Twin Swords of Flashing Light – Tryce. 'Allows the equipped monster two attacks at the cost of 500 ATK points.' This'll speed things up._ She read over the card again. _Oh, but I need to discard a card to activate it._ She lowered it, returning to the duel. _No matter. I can afford to wait one turn._

"Blue-Eyes Ultimate, attack again!"

The three-headed dragon reared its heads, dripping sheer power out its mouths like saliva. The energy melded into a single orb, bursting forward at the soldier in an explosion of static. Black Luster Soldier sliced its sword in front of it, dividing the blast into two separate beams, sending them jetting into the floor adjacent to it. The Black Luster Sword lost another gem, predictably, but the soldier was shocked to see that the blade had cracked during that last attack. (3800 - 3600/**2500**)

"Won't be much longer now." She gestured to Dave with her lone card. "Your go."

_Time's running out._ Dave's eyes trailed his fingers as he reached for his deck. This had to be the card. He drew, found it to be Sworn into the Army. Not only was it useless, it was redundant – it would treat his monster's name as Black Luster Soldier, the only monster he had out.

"Go," Dave said, adding the Spell to his collection of cards, analyzing them in an attempt to work out a strategy.

_Nothing works…_ He tilted his head away from his hand, lowering it. _If I don't draw it soon I'll have no choice but to surrender. Maybe she'll spare us if I do…_

He brought his attention to the kneeling soldier, who still gawked at its chipped blade.

_I'm sorry, old friend. Our lives are more important… _

The receptionist drew. She smiled.

"It's all over." She revealed one of her cards. "I activate Twin Swords of Flashing Light – Tryce!"

Kaiba gritted his teeth. _Remind me to fire whoever built that safe…_

"By discarding a card from my hand I can equip to my Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!" She placed her only card above the Graveyard slot, which automatically sucked it in. "It loses 500 ATK points, but now it can attack twice each turn. That's more than enough to finish you off."

The Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon's two side heads bared their fangs, revealing their growth before everyone's eyes. They curled slightly as they grew, shining in the light generated from the energy forming in their mouths. (**4500 - 4000**/3800)

Black Luster Soldier averted its attention away from its blade, staring into its adversary's central mouth. The light finished charging; the dragon let loose two spheres of energy from its two side heads, as opposed to a large blast from all three. Black Luster Soldier blocked one sphere with both its sword and shield; the sphere was large enough to encompass their entire surface, sending the warrior slowly skidding backwards. With sweat dripping from its face it thrust the sphere away, propelling it into the other, negating the blast as well as creating a film of smoke over between the two monsters.

The soldier knelt, gasping heavily. It dropped its weapons; their cracked surfaces shattering against the table, reducing them to blue and golden fragments. (3600 - - 3200/**2500**) Dave stepped forward, realized it was no use. Next turn the dragon would take away his monster, then the rest of his Life Points.

Then his life.

"Just give it up kid," the receptionist said, forcing eye contact with Dave. "Face it – you can duel your way through a stupid tournament but when it comes to the big leagues you don't stand a chance! I saw your last duel, you couldn't even last one turn against a _real_ duelist."

Dave's stare dropped to his shoes. _Maybe she's right…_

"I've had enough!"

The receptionist diverted her attention to the voice from her right, inevitably drawing the attention of everyone else one by one. Josh came out of his hiding spot, jumping onto one of the seats nearby, fists clenched.

"I'm not gonna sit here any longer and listen to you threaten our lives over a bunch of cardboard!"

Kaiba scowled while he listened. _The kid has a bit of Wheeler in him._ He tensed slightly. _I hate Wheeler._

"You shut it," the receptionist said, swatting a hand at him. "You already had your chance to be brave and that left you at gun point. Unless you want that again…"

"No you shut it!" Josh countered, catching both duelists (and himself) off guard. He turned to Dave, who watched him intently. "Dave, you _are_ a real duelist. I haven't played this game for very long but you've been working on that deck for _six years_ preparing for this duel. If there's anyone here who can stop her, it's you."

Dave smiled. _Thank you Josh…_

"Now show us that card you've been telling me about! Take her down!"

The speech roused the audience, riling them into cheering once again.

"Dave! Dave! Dave! Dave!"

Even Mokuba found himself chanting along with them. The chief leaned closer to Kaiba, whispered to him over their shouts.

"You think he can do it?"

Kaiba didn't move.

"Depends on what he draws…"

Dave held his hand over his deck, preparing to draw. He closed his eyes. Inhaled through his nose. Everything around him faded from existence, leaving him alone in a black abyss. The sounds around him muffled until they were mute. Nothing else mattered except for him and his deck.

_What would Yugi do?_ He pressed his fingertips on his deck, feeling the cold texture of his next card.

_Yugi would win._

He drew.

Others looked on as he pulled the card past his head, seemingly in suspended animation. Time stood still, only continuing when the camouflaged duelist slowly brought the card closer to his face. He opened his eyes, the card's picture assaulting his sight.

"You're right," Dave said. The receptionist raised a nervous eyebrow. "This duel is over."

He grinned.

Josh stabilized his stance. Kaiba uncrossed his arms.

Dave added the new card to his hand, taking another card from it, slapping a pale card on his Duel Disk next to the blue-bordered card. "First off I'll summon Luster Dragon in Attack Mode!"

The sapphire dragon flew out its card image, landing near the unarmed Black Luster Soldier. With its ruby eyes, it stared at the Ultimate Dragon towering over it, ready to battle. (**1900**/1600)

"So your big draw was a tiny dragon?" The receptionist cackled. "You had me worried for a second."

"That wasn't my big draw – this is!" He snatched another card from his hand, flipping it over. "I activate Super Polymerization!"

The receptionist nearly fell backwards. "What?"

Kaiba lowered his arms, raised his eyebrows. _There's no way._

_Super Polymerization?_ Josh remembered Polymerization from yesterday's lesson. It summoned Fusion monsters. _So he's gonna fuse his monsters together right?_

"By discarding my last Black Luster Soldier in my hand, I can fuse any two monsters on the field!" He shoved the blue bordered card into his Graveyard, the Spell Card's hologram rose with a blinding glow. "_Any_ two monsters!"

Streaks of light shot out of the card, projecting endlessly with piercing might. The streaks began to whirl around – a ferriswheel spiraling into a hypnotic ray that froze the receptionist in place.

Tendrils of light whipped around the tables, snaring Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon's central neck. It tossed its neck side to side, even had its other two heads bite at the streak. Nothing could be done. While they were distracted, more streaks latched onto the other heads, then more wrapped around its body and tail.

Black Luster Soldier, too, became clasped by the streaks around its arms and torso. It closed its eyes, willingly allowed them to pull it into the rotating light.

The dragon planted its feet, but it even its strength failed to prevent the powerful streaks from dragging it into the abyss. Its tail vanished into the warphole, consumed by light. With both monsters gone, an explosive glow emitted out of the card, forcing everyone to cover their eyes.

"Behold," Dave raised his arms, shouting to the heavens. "The mighty Dragon Master Knight!"

The receptionist's sight finally adjusted. Her Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon was no longer in front of her. Instead, it stood opposite of her, on Dave's side of the field. Not only that, but his own Black Luster Soldier sat perched on top of the dragon's central neck.

It had been tamed. (**5000**/5000)

"5000 ATK!" The receptionist took a step back.

_He used her own cards against her,_ Josh thought. A calm smile spread across his cheeks. _Way to go Dave._

Kaiba stepped forward. _I haven't seen that card in years… Not since Yugi and I…_ He shook his head. _No. He's not Yugi. Not even close. He got lucky, and this bitch got what she deserved._

"Yes…" Dave thrust his arm forward, his confidence fully restored. "But 5000 isn't enough. Thanks to its special ability, Dragon Master Knight gains even _more_ ATK for every Dragon-type monster on the field!"

The receptionist sent a frightful gape to the smaller dragon beside it. The Luster Dragon floated up, its body exuding a mysterious blue aura. Eventually the dragon lost its shape, transforming into pure energy, transferring itself into the knight's sword. Dragon Master Knight began to glow with the same aura, its power levels increasing greatly. (**5000 - 6900**/5000)

"N-no. No way!"

"Finish her off!" Dave commanded, exposing the receptionist's fear for the first time.

The soldier raised its sword, sending the aura around it flaming out of the blade. As the aura grew taller, the dragon generated three gleaming spheres in each of its mouths.

"Dragon Master Knight, attack with Dragon Saber Blast!"

The soldier whipped its sword towards the ground, sending the aura surging at the receptionist. Simultaneously, the dragon unleashed three explosive sky blue beams, blaring through the air with frightening speed. The receptionist searched spastically for a place to dodge but failed to move in time. The four beams crashed together, slamming into the receptionist all at once, throwing her onto the table behind her. She weakly tried to get up, only to knock her head against the table.

[Dave LP: (6300)] [Receptionist LP: (6800 - - 0)]

Police officers from around the room started to walk closer; the chief and the Kaiba brothers closely followed. Dragon Master Knight vanished, leaving Dave alone on the table, panting heavily. He still stared at the receptionist, then slowly returned his gaze to the purple card resting on his Duel Disk.

"I… I did it."

Kaiba approached the receptionist, who had clumsily begun to get onto her knees. He motioned to the others to wait.

"See, one move." He held out a hand. "Now I'll be taking my deck back."

The receptionist turned to him, anger ignited in her eyes. "This wasn't part of the plan!" She stood up. "My master said this was flawless! I was going to leave with your deck and then we would begin our _real_ plans!"

"Well obviously your master never met me." Kaiba held out his hand further.

"You're wrong… I'm going to get my revenge on you Kaiba!" She glared at Dave. "But first I'm going to get rid of _you_!"

She snapped her gun off her belt, cocking it in a single motion. Kaiba pulled his hand back, his eyes trailing down the barrel's path. Dave froze; air clogged his lungs. Police officers poised their guns to shoot. The chief yelled to them.

"Hold your fire!"

"I'm taking this deck, and no one's gonna stop me! Hahaha!"

Dave peered into the barrel, sweat sliding past his ears. His persecution seemed to be in slow motion. The receptionist placed her finger on the trigger, carefully applying pressure.

Miraculously, a projectile shot across the room, slamming the receptionist's hand, knocking her gun into the air. She clutched her struck hand with another. The gun flew across the tables, drifting near Josh. On impulse, he dove at it, clasping it with both arms before slamming onto the floor.

The whole sight staggered all. Dave barely managed to figure out what happened. His gaze fell onto the table in front of him – a Duel Monster's card lied before him, its picture lurched at him. A pale-armored angel with phoenix-like wings.

Archlord Kristya.

"That's what you get!" Peter shouted, standing with one leg on the receptionist's table. "You made a deal and you lost. Don't try to cheat your way out of this one!"

The receptionist barely saw him before the cops blocked her view. _You little brat…_

"You're under arrest," the chief said, closing the handcuffs around her wrists. The Duel Disk had already been removed from her; Kaiba held it in his hand. "Anything you say can and will be used against you."

She glared at Kaiba once more. "My master will avenge me!" Then to Dave. "I _WILL_ get my revenge!"

"Shut up." Kaiba equipped the Duel Disk to his arm, turned his back to her, walked away.

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" the receptionist began to flail around madly, forcing multiple officers to clasp onto her arms and shoulders. "_GET BACK HERE!_"

Dave stepped down from the table, reaching to pick up the Archlord Kristya card. Josh and Peter ran over from either side, the former with the gun still in his hands.

"Are you alright?" Josh asked, conscious of where the gun pointed.

"Yeah." He gave Peter his card back. "I think this belongs to you."

Peter accepted the card, pocketing it. "Thanks."

"That was amazing – how you threw that card across the room!" Josh said. "I never even thought of using it to disarm someone!"

Peter smiled. "It was nothing. Just takes practice."

"'Nothing'? You saved my life!" Dave said.

"Nah, I only did what my instincts told me to. Someone had to do something or that crazy bitch would've shot us all to death."

"Dave."

The three boys turned – behind them stood Seto Kaiba, pridefully showing his deck. Dave locked eyes with him, attentively waiting for him to speak. It felt as if there were no other people around for miles.

"While that finishing blow was impressive, we both know that if this deck was in _my_ hands that the duel would've ended differently…"

Dave, awestruck by the statement, nodded in agreement.

Kaiba gave a subtle nod, turned his back to them. "I'll be waiting for you at KaibaCorp." He walked away, striding through the path the crowd had formed for him. The trio watched him leave, disappearing in the doorway.

On the opposite side of the room the receptionist had finally been subdued; three police officers escorted her out of the building with several other officers circling them. The chief came up to them, eyeing Josh, making him nervous. Another officer – Josh assumed his name was Nathan from their first encounter – stood behind him.

"I believe you have an important piece of evidence…" he pointed a finger at the gun in Josh's hand, repeatedly pushing it downward as if he were pressing a button. Josh nearly forgot he was holding it.

"Oh, of course." He handed the weapon to the chief, stepping back immediately after.

"That was very brave of you, diving to catch it. It could've fired on you and you could've been seriously hurt."

Josh blushed. "I dunno," he said bashfully. "I kinda just did it on impulse."

"It was a heroic move." The chief addressed Peter and Dave as well. "All of you, if it weren't for you we could've had a crisis on our hands. Thank you."

The chief tipped his cap, then returned to the others with Nathan. Josh patted a hand Dave on the shoulder.

"Looks like you got your chance to duel Kaiba's deck after all."

Peter had said something as well, Dave didn't hear him. His eyes widened. _My chance…_

_ "Don't worry,"_ Adam's face flashed into his mind. _"You'll get your chance."_

"Dave."

He shook off the thought, looked to Peter who repeated himself. "Are you guys gonna watch Adam in the last round?" He glanced over his shoulder, as if suspicious of those around them. "I've been hearing good things about him."

"Yeah," Josh answered for him, "after today we definitely need something to calm our nerves." He took his hand off Dave's shoulder. "Why don't you sit with us? Since Adam's dueling his seat's vacant."

"Sure, I'd be happy to."

The three passed through the dispersing crowd, headed for the doorway. Josh led the way, Peter followed, while Dave trailed behind staring at the floor.

_ How did he know?_

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… Data Found:

**Fallen Headless Knight**

Level 4

[Earth]

[Fiend/Effect]

(1450/1700)

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can Special Summon itself from the Graveyard. You can only Special Summon 1 "Fallen" monster this way per turn. If a non-"Fallen" monster exists in your Graveyard, you may not Special Summon this card this way. This card's name is also treated as "Headless Knight". While this card is in Defense Position, increase the ATK of all "Fallen" monsters by 400 points. While this card is in Attack Position, increase the DEF of all "Fallen" monsters by 400 points.

**Sworn into the Army**

[Spell/Equip]

This card can only be equipped to a Warrior-type monster. The equipped monster's name is also treated as "Black Luster Soldier".


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Chapter Eleven**

People collectively entered the arena, populating their seats with enthusiastic relief. Those who had witnessed the hostage situation in the cafeteria spoke to each other cheerfully; those who hadn't listened to others relay each event bit by bit. They spoke about the thief, and about Kaiba, and even Dave, the finalist who had lost just moments before. They called his act of bravery a kind of 'redemption.' They were safe now; just glad that it was over. Now they could look towards the future.

Soon the tournament's final duel would begin.

Josh sat angled to his left, listening intently to Peter, while Dave sat on the other side with one leg crossed over the other. Dave pressed his Card Analyzer against his thigh, scrolling through a screen.

"Yeah, I love collecting rare cards," Peter said, leaning back in his chair. "Ever since I opened my first pack and got my Archlord Kristya card I've been obsessed with collecting them whenever possible."

"You said that card is your favorite right?"

"Yeah, I put it in every deck I've ever built. I guess you could say it's my ace card." Peter chuckled softly.

"I hope I get a rare card I can associate myself with," Josh said. After all, everyone else seemed to have at least one. Peter had Archlord Kristya, Dave had Black Luster Soldier, Kaiba had his Blue-Eyes White Dragons…

"Don't worry about it." Peter waved a hand. "It'll come to you one day, and it may change over time. I have a couple cards I always use. And they're not always rare, either; they just have to have some kind of special meaning."

"I guess that makes sense." Josh adjusted himself, straightening his posture.

"Just go over cards you like and you'll find it. I know one of my favorite cards is one that I got for my thirteenth birthday."

Josh considered this. He pulled out his deck, showing each card to Peter.

"Well, there are a few in here…"

Their words were just background noise to Dave, as was the chattering amongst the crowd. While they were all waiting, Dave was researching. Ever since Adam's victory, Dave had grown suspicious of his actions, especially what he had said to him on stage. He figured he would learn something about Adam by learning about his cards, especially because they were so hard to find. He traced his finger along each word as he read.

"**Fallen Monsters**

'Fallen' monsters are an archetype whose effects revolve around Special Summoning themselves from the Graveyard. Though, as of today, there is no card in the archetype itself that can send them to the Graveyard, cards like Card Destruction and Graceful Charity fulfill this requirement while also allowing the user to gain new cards to make up for lost resources. All 'Fallen' monsters are treated as if they were their non-Fallen counterparts. For example, Fallen Summoned Skull is treated as Summoned Skull. By utilizing the correct support cards, this can allow 'Fallen' decks to become very diverse.

One downside to using 'Fallen' monsters is that no other monsters can be in the Graveyard besides 'Fallen' monsters, otherwise they will be unable to Special Summon themselves with their own effects. This means that a deck has to be built around them entirely in order for these cards to be used effectively, although they can be Special Summoned by other card effects such as Monster Reborn. Creating a 'Fallen' deck is a tremendous feat, as each card is extremely rare (most are Ultra or Secret Rare, with a few Limited Edition) in booster packs and cost roughly $70-130 in stores.

A similar archetype to this i–"

The lights shut out, silencing the crowd instantly. Dave turned off his Card Analyzer, pocketing it reluctantly. Peter handed Josh his cards for him to pocket as well. A spotlight flashed on center stage; the announcer stood with microphone poised.

"Ladies and gentlemen! After a long series of events, the Championship Round is finally ready to begin!"

The crowd cheered. Josh and Peter clapped; Dave clapped as well, then crossed his arms.

"And now I present our challenger – Adam Prince!" The announcer flagged his arm to his right, where Adam emerged from the shadows. His back was turned to the trio, yet Dave could still sense the fierce determination that rested on his face.

"And now our host – the great Seto Kaiba!"

A stream of light burst through the darkness covering Kaiba, reflecting off his pale blazer. He strode up the stairs, flicking his arm (and his Duel Disk) near his chest. The announcer turned to Adam, walked over so that the microphone could pick up his voice.

"Adam, after a number of great challenges and impressive plays –" those last two words stung Dave a bit. "– you finally have the honor of dueling one of the most powerful duelists in the world. Do you have anything to say before we begin?" He tipped the microphone towards Adam's mouth.

"I have nothing to say."

The announcer, clearly baffled, retreated the microphone. "Alright. In that case, let the duel begin!" The declaration provoked countless squeals and shouts from the audience. Dave, however, kept his arms crossed, intently watching both duelists activate their Duel Disks.

_He only uses Fallen monsters, _Dave thought, _he must be from a wealthy family to afford them all. _Dave scowled, repositioned himself in his chair. _Either that…_

Adam fanned his five cards in his left hand. He took his right hand against his forehead, brushing the single strand of red hair to the side.

_Or he's a thief._

* * *

><p>[Kaiba LP: (8000)] [Adam LP: (8000)]<p>

Kaiba glanced over his hand briefly. Adam was good. There was no doubting that. The combo he used in the final round was a fatal one, though the chances of it repeating were slim to none. Kaiba gave Adam a stern gaze.

"As a reward for making it this far, I'll let you go first."

Adam answered with a nod, withdrawing into his cards.

_He may have strong strategies, but nothing can overcome the might of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon._ He paused, corrected himself. _That is, in my hands. _He clenched his jaw behind closed lips. _Only my hands…_

"I activate Graceful Charity, so I'll draw three cards and discard two." The card flashed before him, disappearing as quickly as it came. "Now I'll place two cards face-down and finish my turn by summoning my Fallen Koumori Dragon!"

Two brown card holograms appeared, followed by a purple flame erupting out of Adam's Graveyard. The flames crashed just beyond the other holograms, extinguished itself upon hitting the ground, leaving the purple dragon in its place. It hugged its bat-like wings against its body, keeping their two yellows spikes near its eyes. (1500/**1200**)

_That's the same opening move he made in my duel,_ Dave thought.

Kaiba remembered this too, drew cautiously. But he also noticed a huge difference. In Dave's duel, Adam summoned Fallen Koumori Dragon in Attack Mode. This time, however, he placed it in Defense Mode, which means he's wary of an oncoming threat. He was safe.

For now, at least.

Kaiba slipped a card out of his hand, slapping it rigidly onto his Duel Disk. "I summon Vorse Raider in Attack Mode!"

From the depths of the shadows beneath the stadium, a muscular, fiendish body-builder monster leapt up, spinning its dual-bladed staff, causing the axe blades to glare. It braced one end of the staff against the floor, puffed out its chest, along with its green and purple-spotted armor, and gave a sneer that hinted at its devious intentions. (**1900**/1200)

"Slash his dragon to bits!"

Vorse Raider gripped tightly onto its axe, dashed with all of its might. As it traveled across the field, Kaiba noticed Adam hadn't moved.

_He bluffed._

Fallen Koumori Dragon flexed its wings, braced itself as the axe came down, slicing diagonally across its body. The raider heaved it back upwards, shredding the dragon further, resulting in an explosion. Vorse Raider hopped to its original spot with one backwards leap. A new card appeared behind it, glimmering with a holographic glow.

"I place one card face-down and end my turn," Kaiba said. "Next time you should pay attention to the duel instead of drifting into fairyland."

Adam started his turn, ignoring the comment. "I activate my face-down card."

The card on Adam's left rose, revealing a green bordered card featuring a fancily dressed man hugging a coffin.

_I was right, he bluffed._ Kaiba smirked subtly. _There was no way he was gonna be able to pull off a combo like that twice in a row._

"By using The Cheerful Coffin I can discard up to three monsters in my hand to the Graveyard." Adam took the center three cards in his hand, carefully moving them into the red slot leading to the discard pile. He slid the remaining two cards closer together with his fingers.

_If I counted correctly that makes five monsters,_ Kaiba thought.

Adam extended his arm, aimlessly pointing his hand. "Now rise, my Fallen Hero Clayman!"

Tremors under the stage jostled Kaiba and his monster, causing them to stumble. Soon after, a bulky man broke out of the ground, rubble raining along its rock-shaped armor. It knelt, holdings its blocky wrists near its tiny, red face. (800/**2000**)

"That's my turn." Adam brought his hand to his side.

From behind, Dave admired the rocky monster. "He must use Elemental Hero support then, too," he whispered.

Josh heard him; nudged his arm with an elbow. "What's 'Elemental Hero'?"

Dave nearly forgot Josh was with him. "The Elemental Heroes are an archetype based around Fusion Summoning. They're pretty good, but I didn't expect an archetype to copy off another archetype like this."

"Well, he's already used Fallen versions of other famous cards," Peter interjected. "I mean, we all know that Yugi uses Summoned Skull."

Josh sunk in his seat slightly. Dave leaned forward.

"This just got interesting."

"Alright, my move." Kaiba pulled a card, flipped it over with his thumb. A blue-bordered card. _Just what I needed._ "I activate White Dragon Ritual." He threw a Spell Card into his Duel Disk, reinventing it before him seconds later. A blue-ish glow emitted out of the card's picture frame. "With it, I'll offer the Swordstalker from my hand in order to summon – Paladin of White Dragon!"

Kaiba thrust his arm forward, simultaneously releasing a monster through the card's wall of aura. The monster was essentially a baby version of Blue-Eyes White Dragon – its wings were small and veiny and its smooth head lacked the Blue-Eyes White Dragon's three pronged spikes. Mounted on top, a warrior, adorned in blue and gold armor, tamed the young dragon. It swung its long sword above the dragon's head, while the dragon playfully opened its mouth, revealing the tiny needle-shaped fangs. It hovered just above Vorse Raider, where it stared at Adam with its egg-yellow eyes. (**1900**/1200)

"Neither of his monsters can break through Adam's defenses," Josh whispered. "What is he doing?"

"Watch," Peter said.

"Next I'll activate Stop Defense." Kaiba lifted another Spell Card out of his hand. "In case you can't figure it out, this card allows me to change one of your Defense Position monsters to Attack Position, and I choose your Fallen Hero Clayman."

Fallen Hero Clayman stood upright, as if by its own will. (**800**/2000) Once again, Adam didn't react.

"Now Vorse Raider, attack!"

The raider obeyed, charging at the rock-armored monster with axe in hand.

"Just as I planned – Clayman, stop the attack!"

Just as Vorse Raider flung its axe towards its opponent, Clayman clutched the blade with its bare hands, halting the raider in its tracks.

"What?" Kaiba took a half-step forward. "But how!"

Adam brushed the lone strand of red hair into his black spikes.

"When Fallen Hero Clayman is attacked, I can banish it to destroy the attacking monster and inflict 800 damage to you."

Clayman tighten its hold on the blade, shattering it. The now weaponless Vorse Raider backed away slightly, only to get tackled by the colossal figure. Clayman grappled Vorse Raider, charging all the way across the field, slamming straight into Kaiba as they both burst into a dust cloud of gravel. Kaiba dug his heels into the ground, held a hand to his heart. [Kaiba LP: (8000 - 7200)]

"Hey Dave." Josh tapped him on the shoulder. "What does banish mean?" He remembered hearing the same phrase during his duel the receptionist, figured it was another game mechanic.

"It's another game mechanic." Josh's instincts always knew best. "Banished is when a card is sent out of the game, but not placed in the Graveyard. Instead they go to their own section that's usually not specified. But unless a card says otherwise, it's assumed that all cards are sent to the Graveyard."

_So cards can be sent out of the game?_ Josh gazed at Kaiba. _And I guess there's cards even famous duelists haven't heard of too._

Kaiba recomposed himself, brushing dust off his sleeve. "You think a few stones are gonna stop me? I've still got another monster ready to pounce! Paladin of White Dragon – direct attack!"

The young dragon dove at Adam; the mounted knight sliced its blade through Adam's left arm, forcing him to cringe despite his best efforts to hide his pain. [Adam LP: (8000 - 6100)]

"And I'm not done yet," Kaiba said, bringing his hand close to his deck. Paladin of White Dragon returned to his side. "I activate Paladin of White Dragon's special ability, allowing me to replace it with a stronger version of itself." The mounted knight on Paladin of White Dragon disintegrated, transforming into a blue aura which engulfed the young dragon. "Now, come forth –" Kaiba ripped a card out of his deck, slapped it on his Duel Disk. "– mighty Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

The young dragon let out a child-like roar as the aura intensified, consuming its body completely, reshaping it. The dragon grew; its fangs became sharper, its figure more built and jagged, and its wings wider than before. The dragon's roar continued to resonate throughout the arena, now fierce and threatening. It had reached its adult stage, gaining its title as the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. (**3000**/2500)

"Lucky for you, my Blue-Eyes can't attack the turn it's summoned by Paladin of White Dragon, so take your turn."

Josh bent forward, whispering. "I can't believe he's able to summon the same monster in so many different ways."

Dave turned. "Are you surprised? Some people specialize their decks so they can summon one monster over and over." He pulled out his Card Analyzer. "Just look at me and my Black Luster Soldier."

"That's true…" Josh clapped his hands together, stared at them. _I'd like to have a card like that._

Back on stage, Adam held up his Duel Disk, facing the red slot away from his head. "Rise, Fallen Koumori Dragon!"

Purple flames surged out of the red slot, flaring out until the purple dragon came forward. (1500/**1200**)

"I'll set another card face-down and end my turn."

"If you're gonna do the same thing over and over again you should at least make it interesting." Kaiba threw an orange bordered card down. "I summon Kaiser Sea Horse!"

A purple- and blue-armored sea horse majestically descended onto the field, holding its golden trident close to protect its master. (**1700**/1650)

"Now, Kaiser Sea Horse, attack his Fallen Koumori Dragon!"

The bipedal seahorse dashed forward, aiming its spear for Fallen Koumori Dragon's head. The purple dragon brought its wings closer to its face.

"I activate Negate Attack!"

Just as Kaiser Sea Horse thrust its spear, a warp hole opened, soothingly absorbing the blow. Since it failed, Kaiser Sea Horse saw no reason to stay, returned to Kaiba.

"Stall tactics can only last so long," Kaiba remarked.

"I don't need to stall anymore," Adam said, without glancing at his drawn card. He held up his Duel Disk again. "Time to bring out my own ace monster. Rise, Fallen Hero Avian!"

A flurry of feathers flew out his Duel Disk, spiraling together into a tornado that extended to the ceiling. After a few moments of gusts, a humanoid creature appeared from the dispersing tornado, spreading the feathered wings attached to its dull, green armor. It crossed its clawed-gauntlets in front of its torso, knelt down next to Fallen Koumori Dragon. (1000/**1000**)

Kaiba laughed. "Sorry, but if that's your ace then you may have to raise your standards."

Adam gave a cold stare. "I'm not done yet."

"Another Fallen Hero?" Peter said. "He must be preparing to Fusion Summon something."

"Hang on, look at this." Dave held out his Card Analyzer, tilting the screen so Josh and Peter could see.

"**Fallen Hero Avian**

[Wind]

[Warrior/Tuner]

(1000/1000)

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can Special Summon itself from the Graveyard. You can only Special Summon 1 "Fallen" monster this way per turn. If a non-"Fallen" monster exists in your Graveyard, you may not Special Summon this card this way. This card's name is also treated as "Elemental Hero Avian". Once per turn, this card can attack as many times as the number of monster(s) you control when you activate this effect. If this effect is used, this card cannot attack your opponent directly, and your other monsters cannot attack."

Josh blinked. "I don't get what you're trying to say."

Dave pointed under its attribute. "It's also a Tuner."

"Now, I'll tune my Fallen Hero Avian with my Fallen Koumori Dragon."

Avian stood up; three glowing, dark red feathers jetted out of its wings, encircling its body. It leaped directly above Fallen Koumori Dragon, shooting out more feathers, four pitch-black ones, which surrounded the dragon below. Adam stepped forward, brushing the strand of red hair once again.

"It's time to introduce the most trustworthy monster I know." He held out both arms, as if he were summoning a god above. "Rise – my loyal Fallen Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

Kaiba's eyes darted out of his head. _Red-Eyes?_

The feathers surrounding both monsters quickened, soon creating two rings, red and black, from their speed. The rings slowly floated towards each other, leaving a thin barrier of their respective colors in their wake, acting as a veil between the two monsters and the outside world. The rings collided, blending together, swirling into a red and black tower. It crackled, sending streaks of red lightning across the room. Two dark red eyes pierced through the black core of the tower, finally smashing out of it with ferocious force. Its eyes met with the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, let out an ear-splitting roar to assert its challenge. (**2400**/2000)

The sound sent a jolt through Josh; his pupils dilated, and he broke into a cold sweat.

"The Red-Eyes Black Dragon," Dave said, watching in awe. Peter did the same. Josh recovered from his amazement.

"Uh guys," Josh said, glancing back and forth between the two. "What's the Red-Eyes Black Dragon?"

Dave answered without looking away. "It's a card used by another famous duelist. It's also said to be the counterpart of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon."

Josh turned to Peter. "Is that true?"

Peter nodded. "It's said that while the Blue-Eyes White Dragon represents power, the Red-Eyes Black Dragon represents potential." He paused long enough for Josh to turn back to the duel. "They're polar opposites in nearly every way imaginable."

_That's Wheeler's best monster,_ Kaiba thought. _So, he's trying to insult me by playing an amateur's card at a public event._ "Not to disappoint you, but your Red-Eyes doesn't have enough fire power to defeat my Blue-Eyes."

Adam held up another card. "I never said I was attacking." He flipped it over, revealing a Spell Card depicting a Red-Eyes Black Dragon. "I activate Inferno Fire Blast, which allows my Fallen Red-Eyes to inflict damage to you equal to its original ATK."

Kaiba braced himself as the opposing dragon inhaled, gathering molten fire between its fangs. It exhaled sharply, shooting the blast beyond both of Kaiba's monsters, striking him directly in the chest. It tore across his body; using sheer will, Kaiba kept himself from flying backwards. He lunged himself forward, catching his stomach with his left arm. [Kaiba LP: (7200 - 4800)]

"That all?" Kaiba asked calmly, standing erect.

"No." The image of another Spell Card flashed beside him. "I activate Creature Swap. Each of us picks a monster we control and the two monsters trade places."

_Why would he do that?_ Josh thought.

_If he thinks I'm giving him my Blue-Eyes he's out of his mind._ Kaiba stuck out a finger. "I choose Kaiser Sea Horse."

"And I pick Fallen Red-Eyes Black Dragon."

Both monsters peacefully walked to the opposite sides of the field. They crossed paths, failed to acknowledge each other, instead looked to please their new masters. They turned around, poised for battle.

"So you gave me a strong monster in order to obtain a weaker monster," Kaiba chuckled. "What kind of move was that?"

A desperate groan erupted from the Fallen Red-Eyes Black Dragon; everyone gaped at it in sudden confusion. It strained its body, flailed its neck around madly as if in severe pain.

"What the hell," Kaiba said. He addressed Adam immediately. "What did you do to my dragon!"

"Not your dragon," Adam retorted. "There's a reason I called Fallen Red-Eyes the 'most trustworthy' monster in existence." He held out a hand, pointed to the dragon. "It's so loyal to its owner that when it switches sides it automatically destroys itself to damage anyone who tries to tame it!"

"What!" Kaiba had no time to react as the dragon thrust its wings outward, exploding violently. Kaiba could only close his eyes and embrace the cloud of darkness that now submerged his field. [Kaiba LP: (4800 - 3600)]

"I don't believe it," Dave said, sliding closer to the duel. "Adam has the lead."

Peter echoed his remark. "But for how long?"

The cloud cleared; Kaiba was covered in black ash and dust. He rubbed it away from his eyes, began to shout at Adam.

"Flashy plays can only get you so far!" He whipped the top card off of his deck, throwing back another without ever taking the time to breathe. "I activate Soul Exchange! This allows me to use monsters you control as Tributes for my cards this turn.

"And thanks to Kaiser Sea Horse's effect, it can be treated as two monsters for the Tribute Summon of a LIGHT attribute monster."

The Kaiser Sea Horse nodded, began to glow with a bright yellow aura.

"You're not the only one who can manipulate their cards." Kaiba snickered. He slapped down another pale card. "Come forth – Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

Kaiser Sea Horse bowed to its owner, willingly succumbing to the force that tore through its spirit. Another Blue-Eyes White Dragon rose out of the aura, circled Adam once, then returned to its rightful place next to its brother. (**3000**/2500)

"Adam's wide open now," Peter said. "He may have the lead Life Point-wise but Kaiba dominates the field."

Josh considered this. _I guess there's a lot more to think about than meets the eye…_

Adam looked to the Blue-Eyes on his left, then to the other on his right, then to Kaiba.

"Lucky for you my monsters can't attack the turn Soul Exchange is activated, so you have one more turn before I end this." Without any cards remaining in his hand, Kaiba crossed his arms. "Your move."

Adam drew, never taking his eyes off his opponent. Then, once again, he retreated into his hand.

Josh turned to Dave. "Do you think he can do it?"

But Dave was lost in the duel. _Adam was able to wipe out my entire deck with just two cards. And he's already proven to be master strategist in this duel alone. _He hated to admit it, although the truth was there: _This duel really could go either way._

Adam's eyes went between each card – back and forth, back and forth – slowly, yet each moment brought new possibilities. And new threats.

_How long does it take to look over two cards?_ Kaiba thought. For the first time since the duel's start, he peered into the crowd, watching the shadowed figures watch him. No, not him. Adam. The duelist whose plays were subtle, yet lethal.

The duelist who plays to win.

"Make your move already!" Kaiba called. "I'm starting to get impatient."

Adam, seemingly awakened, delicately brought a finger to his Graveyard slot. The crowd held their breath.

As did Kaiba.

"I summon Fallen Hero Sparkman in Attack Mode."

Streaks of electricity flooded out of his Duel Disk, dancing on the ground collectively until it gathered into a humanoid shape. The static merged, transforming into yellowish armor along with a blue-plated helmet and boots. Two wing-like flaps stuck out of its back, acting as reflectors when the warrior unleashed its electrical powers. (**1600**/1400)

"Now I activate Call of the Haunted!" The purple card rose, revealing a misty cemetery scene on its image. "And I'll use it to revive my Fallen Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

Mist poured out of the purple card, filling the stage in a thin, spooky layer. The dragon's signature red eyes resided in the mist, followed by its silent groan. With a single thrust of its wings the mist vanished, replaced by the belligerent black dragon. (**2400**/2000)

_Of course,_ Dave thought. _He can still summon his Fallen monsters by other card effects._

"And finally I activate the Spell Card, Double Grave Ceremony." Two tombstones rose on either side of Adam's field, with him standing at the center. "Each turn this allows me to summon an additional Fallen monster by their own effects."

_So he's gonna bring back another?_ Kaiba thought. _He's already used four of his five monsters against me at least once this duel. They're all too weak to take me on. _He glanced at the face-down card before him, which had been laying there the entire time. _And if he tries anything, my Shadow Spell card will stop him in his tracks._

Adam hesitated. His eyes lingered around the field, lost in thought. First at his Red-Eyes, then at Sparkman, then at Kaiba's face-down card (which unnerved Kaiba a bit), and then finally at the single card he held in his hand. He kept his eyes there for what felt like an eternity.

_Well, what's he gonna summon?_ Josh thought. _He just said he can summon another monster but then he just… stopped._

_It must have to do with that card._ Kaiba watched Adam intently. _He's probably trying to form a very precise strategy but he only has one shot at getting it right._

Adam brought the card to his side. "I offer my Fallen Red-Eyes Black Dragon –" the dragon disintegrated, reverted back into the mist it once was. "– in order to summon my Fallen Flame Swordsman!"

_Flame Swordsman? _

The mist gathered together, igniting into a flurry of embers. A muscular warrior emerged out of the fire, heroically transferring the flames to its burning sword. Contrary to its name, the warrior wore tight, blue clothing, although an orangey-red sash drooped around its waist. Its head gear was the same shade of red; a spike shot straight up above its forehead, and two sharp pieces drooped from either side of the spike like the blade-end of a hammer. It knelt, holding its sword across its chest. (1800/**1600**)

Kaiba silently grumbled, though no one in the crowd could tell. _I'm getting tired of all the Wheeler references today._

_Isn't that the card Elisa used in her lesson?_ Josh subconsciously put his hand on his pocket, fumbling the Card Analyzer there. _That card was a Fusion Monster. But this card doesn't seem to be a Fusion Monster at all._

"And with my Fallen Flame Swordsman's special ability, I'll transfer all of its ATK points to my Fallen Hero Sparkman."  
>Fire flew out the warrior's sword, consuming Sparkman in a bright light. The flames did not burn or hurt, instead it empowered the hero with confidence.<p>

[Fallen Hero Sparkman (**1600 - 3400**/1400)]

[Fallen Flame Swordsman (1800 - 0/**1600**)]

Adam extended his arm, gripping the lone card in his opposite hand tightly with his fingertips. "Sparkman, attack his Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

Sparkman pranced across the field, electricity trickling from its palms, dancing around the flame aura surrounding its body.

_Hmph._ Kaiba pressed a button, triggering his face-down card. Chains broke out of the card's surface, binding the hero by its wrists and ankles. More chains wrapped themselves around its torso, tightening their grasp.

"Thanks my Shadow Spell Trap Card, your Fallen Hero can't attack or change its Battle Position." Kaiba boastfully stomped ahead. "On top of that, it loses 700 ATK points!"

Sparkman wriggled around, trying to break away from the chains. Despite its enhanced power, it simply could not escape. (**3400 - 2700**/1400)

Adam focused deeply on the lone card in his right hand. Stared at it. Almost through it. At last, he brought it down again.

"I end my turn."

"For a second I thought you were gonna do something impressive," Kaiba mocked. "But then you proved to be like everybody else." He uncrossed his arms, readying two fingers to draw. "Allow me to show you how a _real_ duelist plays!"

Kaiba drew, sneered. He wanted to laugh. Even after all this time his deck always knew how to amuse him.

"I activate Card of Demise which allows me to draw cards until I have five in my hand," Kaiba grasped onto his deck, skillfully fanning out five new cards. "In exchange, I'll have to discard my entire hand in five turns. Of course, that won't be necessary 'cause I'm gonna end it right _here_!"

He threw a green card into a gray slot, causing an old, beaten scroll to appear on the floor beyond his monsters. "Thanks to my Ancient Rules card, I can summon any Level five or higher Normal Monster in my hand. Which means I can bring out my third Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" He shot his arm toward the sky, seemingly causing the scroll to unravel; a spiral of glitter jetted out of the paper, forming a portal for the final Blue-Eyes White Dragon to enter. It roared vigorously as it descended near the stage, where it floated between, yet slightly above, its two counterparts. (**3000**/2500)

"And now that I have all three of my Blue-Eyes White Dragons on the field I can activate this!" He presented the green card to Adam, as if shoving it in his face. "Delta Attacker!"

The Blue-Eyes White Dragons flew high into the air, near the ceiling. They maintained their positions, and a blue triangle-pattern connected the three entities together.

Dave fell back. "This is it."

"Since I have all three copies of my Blue-Eyes White Dragon out on the field, each of them can attack you directly!" He clutched his left hand into a fist. Above him, each dragon charged a blue energy sphere, holding it with their teeth. "Game over." He stabbed an accusing finger at Adam, sentencing him to death. "Blue-Eyes White Dragon, White Lightning attack!"

Each of the three Blue-Eyes White Dragons opened their mouths wide, sucking in air with tremendous force. Seconds later blue streaks of light formed, expanding until they became three overflowing spheres of light.

Adam stood below, watching this all occur.

The three dragons roared in unison, firing their blasts simultaneously, combining them into one enormous ray. The beam rained down on Adam, submerging him, pushing him towards the ground with the force of a waterfall.

He gritted his teeth in an attempt to keep his composure, but ultimately gave in. His grip loosened, releasing the lone card from his grasp, sending it fluttering onto the floor nearby. Blue streams continued to fall endlessly, nearly blinding him with their intensive might. [Adam LP: (6100 - 0)]

_Hmph, about time._ Kaiba retracted his Duel Disk, separating its platform into two smaller pieces, bringing them back to its sides.

"And the winner is, the great, Seto Kaiba!"

Cheers and clamor erupted in the arena, growing louder as each hologram faded away. Adam stumbled, yet never showed any sign of regret or sorrow. Kaiba approached the announcer, who had stepped by Adam's side.

"Damn," Peter said, "I can't think of one way Adam could've gotten out of that one."

Josh nodded. "Yeah, that was some move."

_But that card,_ Dave thought, still focused on the stage. _He stared at his hand for a long time, but in the end did nothing with it._

The cheers died down, and with a wave of Kaiba's hand, the crowd fell into complete silence. The announcer held up his microphone, holding out his own hand.

"Will Dave Litenur please come on down!"

That snapped him out of his trace. Dave lifted himself off his seat, glanced at Josh (who smiled and gave him a thumbs-up), and rushed through the audience, eventually reaching the stage's stairs.

Kaiba waited impatiently. Now that the tournament was over, he could finally focus on more important matters.

Like that phone call from Pegasus…

"Adam Prince –" the announcer nodded to Adam, then turned to Dave "– Dave Litenur – " he nodded again, waving his arm out again. "Both of you dueled with skill and elegance like no other…"

_Blah, blah, blah._ Kaiba subtly shook his head. _So much pointless blabbering, just get on with the goodbye speech so we can go home already._ He needed to zone out, that always made these things go by faster. His gaze fell towards the ground, by Adam's feet.

A card rested there, unnoticed by the audience. He assumed it was the last card Adam held before his defeat. It must've fallen when his Blue-Eyes blasted him to oblivion. He looked closer, trying to decipher its image.

Then, at least, he recognized it. He knew the card well – he even had one of his own in his deck – and knew it to be one of the most powerful Trap Cards in existence. The Ring of Destruction.

Just then, a thought flashed through his mind, so quickly that it struck him like a spark of lightning. The thought crackled along his brain, taking it over. He became deaf to everything else while it echoed between his ears.

* * *

><p>He remembered the final moments of their duel, just after Adam revived his Fallen Hero Sparkman and threw out his Double Grave Ceremony card to summon another Fallen monster. Adam activated Call of the Haunted to bring back his Fallen Red-Eyes, which he would proceed to sacrifice to summon Fallen Flame Swordsman. Only, in this vision, he didn't. He offered the Fallen Hero instead.<p>

_"And with my Fallen Flame Swordsman's special ability, I'll transfer all of its ATK points to my Fallen Red-Eyes Black Dragon."_

_[Fallen Red-Eyes Black Dragon (__**2400 - 4200**__/2000)]_

_[Fallen Flame Swordsman (1800 - 0/__**1600**__)]_

At this point, Adam only had one card left in his hand. He stared at it again, then looked to Kaiba's face-down card. From the look in his eyes, Kaiba knew he expected an attack to backfire.

_"I'll place one card face-down and end my turn."_

Kaiba would then draw, and smirk. Everything had laid out perfectly for him. Even with Adam's stronger dragon protecting him, Kaiba still managed to overpower him. He continued his moves, right up to Delta Attacker. The three dragons flew upward, and poised to attack.

Then…

_"I activate my Trap Card!"_ Adam shouted, raising his arm. _"Ring of Destruction!"_

The metallic tire constricted the black dragon, bursting moments later.

_[Kaiba LP: (3600 - 0)] [Adam LP: (6100 - 1900)]_

Kaiba leapt back, traumatized.

He couldn't contain his screams.

* * *

><p>Even after this long train of thought, the announcer continued to babble to the two finalists. Kaiba came back to reality, found himself still staring at the card on the floor. A hand snatched it away, awakening him with urgency, and his eyes darted to the hand's owner. Adam lifted the card, met Kaiba's gaze, then nonchalantly slipped it back into his deck without ever attracting any attention.<p>

Kaiba glared at him. More thoughts poured into him, flowing throughout his blood stream. That move wasn't farfetched. He knew it. Adam proved himself before by wiping out Dave's deck without even knowing if he would succeed. Yet he _knew_.

His eyes searched the crowd until his disappointment set in. He turned back to the finalists, and found Adam's eyes gazing into his own.

Kaiba clutched his fist; he saw something in Adam's stare that somehow mocked him. Adam seemed to be gesturing the tantalizing thought that tormented Kaiba's mind, without ever making a single move:

"I could have won."

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… Data Found:

**Fallen Flame Swordsman**

Level 5

[Fire]

[Warrior/Effect]

(1800/1600)

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can Special Summon itself from the Graveyard by offering 1 monster on your side of the field as a Tribute. You can only Special Summon 1 "Fallen" monster this way per turn. If a non-"Fallen" monster exists in your Graveyard, you may not Special Summon this card this way. This card's name is also treated as "Flame Swordsman". During either player's turn, you can have this card lose any amount of ATK to have another face-up monster gain an equal amount of ATK.

**Fallen Red-Eyes Black Dragon**

Level 7

[Dark]

[Dragon/Synchro/Tuner]

(2400/2000)

1 Tuner monster + 1 or more "Fallen" monsters

Synchro Material Monsters used to Synchro Summon this card are banished instead of being sent to the Graveyard. This card can Special Summon itself from the Graveyard after it is Synchro Summoned by offering 2 monsters on your side of the field as a Tribute. You can only Special Summon 1 "Fallen" monster this way per turn. If a non-"Fallen" monster exists in your Graveyard, you may not Special Summon this card this way. This card's name is also treated as "Red-Eyes B. Dragon". If control of this card changes from its original owner, destroy this card immediately and inflict 1200 damage to its current controller.


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve**

_Where am I?_

Josh opened his eyes, staring at the dirt-covered floor beneath him. He braced his hands against the rough ground, pushing against it, composing himself into a sitting position.

A disarray of orange and red flooded the sky above, with charcoal-colored clouds lurking in the foreground. He looked around; found himself in a square area with tiny walls standing about waist-high. There was no use staying here, he thought, so he stood up.

Just then, a sharp jolt surged down the left side of his body; he reflexively grasped his left arm with his hand.

_What happened to me?_

The pain eventually toned down until it was almost soothing, healing. Like a gentle flame dancing on a candle's wick. He turned his torso; a strange odor rested on his nostrils.

What was it?

He limped over to the right wall, discovered that he was on a rooftop. The smell became stronger as he gazed over the edge; it smelled like someone had lit a campfire. But that was impossible – there was only the ocean beyond this building. The waves fluttered along the surface, peacefully rippling with the breeze. He had nearly forgotten about his pain, mesmerized by the constant movement of the ocean.

That is, until a black cloud obstructed his view.

Josh stepped back, his eyes tearing as the smoke attacked him, slowly crawling into his lungs. He coughed, fanned it away. He dizzily fell forward, caught himself using the wall as a post. He wiped his eyes – the ashes sprinkled down from his fingers onto the ground below.

Then he saw it.

A fire had erupted on the dock below, encompassing all the land between the building and the sea. Only a single circle was untouched by the flames; two people stood on either end, with Duel Disks ready.

_What… what's going on?_

He looked closer – on the right, a duelist stood wearing a camouflage jacket and cap, preparing to draw. Camouflage…

No… it can't be.

"Dave!" Josh yelled, scrambling to his feet. "Get out of there!"

Dave couldn't hear him; he appeared to be entranced by his opponent, refused to look away from the proud figure. Josh couldn't see the man – the flames somehow shrouded him in darkness, revealing only a golden pyramid dangling below his chest. It glimmered; the flames answered by backing away.

He's controlling the fire!

"Dave!" Josh yelled again. Still no response. It was as if he stood behind a soundproof barrier – nothing he shouted seemed to be getting through. All he could do was watch his friend place a card on his camouflage Duel Disk (strange, Josh thought they were blue). A few feet ahead, his signature Black Luster Soldier rose, its armor darker than usual, supposedly due to the lighting from the flames.

Dave pointed at the shaded figure. Josh saw his mouth move, ordering an attack.

Black Luster Soldier sprung forward, holding its sword close. The figure nodded, his tall, spikey hair wobbled as his pyramid shined brighter. The warrior dove in to strike, keeping its head low and shield lower.

A pillar of flames flared from its right, engulfing the soldier, halting it completely. Dave, horrified, only gaped in awe. His soldier's shield fell from the arching fire, reduced to a deformed metal oval. He stepped back.

The figure drew, his pyramid glowing stronger. Without even looking at the drawn card, he threw it into his Duel Disk and a green-bordered card appeared by his side. The blue cross contrasted with the red glow of the fire around them. Monster Reborn.

Another batch of flames flew into the Spell Card, scorching the card, burning it to a crisp. The burnt card exploded, exposing the revived monster.

Dave's monster.

Black Luster Soldier's armor was different this time around. It seemed to become a part of the flames – sparkled with a red and silver sheen. Now the man held out a finger. This time Josh heard him. A deep, authoritative voice: one that showed no mercy.

_"Attack his Life Points directly!"_

The Black Luster Soldier pounced at its former master, the flames trailing in its wake. The light from the man's pyramid shined violently as the soldier's sword pierced through Dave's heart.

"_DAVE!_"

Josh wanted to jump down, but the light from the man's pyramid grew too intense. He saw his friend drop to ground, dead, before his vision blurred out and left only a pale, undulating flame. A pair of wings rose out of the flame, no, they part of the flame itself. A voice spoke out to him, the man's voice, echoing in his ears. He could barely make out his words.

_"Josh, … fate … … world depends … you."_

Josh tried to listen harder but the voice was gone. Shadows invaded the light, and the flames died out.

* * *

><p>"Josh! … Hey Josh! Wake up!"<p>

Josh opened his eyes, staring the pure white fabric that had been slapped against his face. He braced his hand against the soft pillow, pushing it aside so that it fell against his ear.

Dave stood over him, laughing. He was fully dressed, ready to start the day.

Josh wasn't amused. "Do I have to? It's Saturday…"

"Yep, it's time to buy you your own deck!"

Josh rolled over, digging his face into the bed.

"Come on," Dave said, pulling Josh's limp arm. "You've been stalling since the tournament ended last week! You should at least have a Duel Disk before we go visit KaibaCorp."

Josh, too tired to fight, eventually was tugged over the edge, slammed onto the floor.

"OWW!"

Dave stepped back. Josh jumped to his feet, finally energized by anger.

"The hell was that for!"

Dave laughed again. "Well, that got you up." He clapped a hand onto Josh's shoulder. "Get dressed. I'll tell the shopkeeper we're on our way." He turned around, walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Josh rubbed the bump on his head. He looked to his desk, spotting his Card Analyzer on top of a college textbook.

"This better be worth the trouble."

* * *

><p>"I buy all my cards from this guy," Dave said, guiding Josh through the city. The breeze caught their jackets, lifting them gently. Birds flew overhead, dancing between the trees and alleyways nearby. Very few cars drove on this side of town, despite the large amount of attractions dotting the area. "He always carries top-rate cards. I'll admit that they're a little pricey sometimes, but he said he'd give us a discount." He smiled, looking over his shoulder. "I even got my Dragon Master Knight card from him. Can you believe it!"<p>

"Yeah," Josh said, uninterested. He didn't mind _watching_ duels, but participating in them was something he could live without. Josh fumbled with his zipper, crashing into Dave when he unexpectedly came to a stop.

"Here it is."

Across the street, an isolated yellow building stood, with a green rooftop and sign above the single windowed door that read "GAME".

Dave turned to his friend, unaware of their collision. "Let's head inside."

The duo crossed the street, passing under the shade of the trees. Dave held the door open, allowing Josh to go in first. They closed the door behind them.

"Mr. Muto! It's me, Dave!"

The store was smaller than Josh expected, considering how big it looked outside. Windows of cards and various games and knick-knacks lined the walls, leading to a glass desk on the opposite wall. Dave walked over to the desk, resting his arm on it.

"Ah, Dave!" From the doorway behind the desk, a short, older man arrived. He wore green overalls and dark, flapless cap that reminded Josh of a bowl. "Good to see you again." He fixed his cap (Josh noticed its hourglass-like pattern) which also shook his gray, spikey hair. "I'm guessing this is your friend?"

Dave brought his arm off the counter. "Yep. Josh, this is the owner of this store, Mr. Muto."

"Nice to meet you Josh," He hopped uncomfortably close, winked at Josh. "Mr. Muto makes me sound old, so just call me Grandpa!"

Josh blinked.

"Mr. Muto's grandson is Yugi, the greatest duelist in the world."

Grandpa turned back to Dave. Josh took this opportunity to acquire more personal space.

"That's right! I'd introduce him to you, but he's away on a trip to Hawaii with some friends." He shoved a hand into his overalls. Josh raised an eyebrow. "See!"

The old man threw a postcard in Josh's face, showing a group of six friends, four boys and two girls (he guessed that the shortest guy was Yugi, since Dave said he had purple and yellow hair). Closest to the front, a blond kid grinned widely and gave the peace-sign, while the remaining two boys seemed to be fighting over the long-haired girl in the background. Behind her, Yugi and another short-haired girl held their heads in their hands.

"Uh, they look like they're… having fun."

"Yep!" Grandpa withdrew the postcard, hopped away. Josh's mind boggled when he saw that the man was already behind the desk. "So how can I help ya today?"

"Well, Josh doesn't really have a deck yet," Dave said. "Do you have any idea what kind of cards might be good for him?"

Grandpa quizzically observed Josh, holding a hand to his chin. Chills flowed through Josh's spine. Then, the old man smiled.

"Nope!"

Dave and Josh both looked at each other, then back at Grandpa, who hadn't moved.

"Maybe we should buy a Duel Disk for him while you decide."

Grandpa smiled wider, turned to Dave. "Great idea! I'll look through my collection while you two head over to the Black Clown."

"Wait, you're telling us to go to another store?" Josh asked, perplexed.

Grandpa smiled even wider, wider than Josh thought was humanly possible. "Yep!"

Josh hesitated.

"Uh… aren't you guys, well … competition?"

Grandpa relaxed his face, waved a hand and laughed. "Oh no, we made a deal a long time ago. That store handles all the fancy-technology stuffs while I sell all the rare and valuable cards." He leaned closer. Josh could smell his breath now.

It smelled like pickles.

"I recommend playing in the Arcade while you shop, so can get a feel for the different types of cards. Ya never know when a good card might pop up out of nowhere!" Grandpa gave another jolly-filled laugh.

"I'll… keep that in mind."

Josh slowly backed up, wanting to sprint for the door. Dave casually followed.

"See ya later, Mr. Muto!"

Grandpa waved. "See ya! Oh, and call me Gran–"

Josh shut the door.

Dave led him back across the street. "So what'd you think of Mr. Muto?"

"He's… interesting."

The two continued to talk as they made their way to the arcade. Birds watched them go by from the tree branches above, chirping gleefully while they hopped from tree to tree.

The loud stomp of a foot crashed onto the sidewalk, sending the panic-stricken birds scampering away.

"This is the place," a dark, edgy voice whispered. "Hopefully this job won't be too messy."

* * *

><p>Upon entering the Black Clown, dozens of tiny TV screens could be seen, piling on top of each other on the wall opposite the double doors. The arcade itself seems to be a massive hallway with video game terminals that lined the walls. Children ran past with tokens in hand, eagerly searching for a game to play.<p>

"This is the place," Dave said, turning to his friend.

Josh observed his surroundings – dozens of arcade games covered every inch of every wall, loud bleeps and zams echoed with each button pressed and trigger pulled. He noted one game in particular at the center of the arcade, one with dice that seemed to resemble some kind of board game. Dave led him away from it before he could express his interest.

"Hiya," one of the cashiers eagerly said as they approached. "Can I help you with anything?"

"Yeah." Dave pointed to Josh. "My friend needs to buy a Duel Disk. Are there any cheap models in stock?"

"Hmm," the cashier mused. She quickly typed something into the computer in front of her. "Yep. Here's an old one. I'll get it in a sec." She smiled at her customers and retreated through a doorway behind her.

Josh turned around, leaned against the counter. He sighed.

"Something wrong, Josh?" Dave asked.

Josh shook his head. "Oh, nothing." It wouldn't have made a difference even if he said anything. The cashier returned moments later.

"You're in luck, we have exactly one left!" She lugged out an old, dusty box. Josh's nose tingled after she slammed it onto the counter. "That'll be fifty dollars."

Josh leapt back. "Fifty?"

Dave nudged him, handed the cashier a coupon.

"Ah, give me a sec." She typed on keyboard again, and a new total flashed on a monitor in front of them.

"Twenty-five dollars, please."

Josh sighed again. "I guess that's better." He reached for his wallet, paid the woman behind the desk.

"Thank you sir." She handed him the box. "Have a good day!"

"You too," Josh said reluctantly. He lifted up the box; almost lost his footing as he carried it over to a table nearby.

"Too heavy for ya?" Dave laughed.

Josh gave an annoyed grin. "A little. I don't get how you guys can carry these things on your arms all day."

"You get used to it." Dave slapped a hand on the box. "Let's open this baby."

They ripped the box apart, revealing a sparkly Duel Disk nearly identical to the one Dave wore now. Despite being an old model, Josh thought it looked pretty nice.

"There's an adjustment strap, so you can make it as tight as you want. Then you shove your Card Analyzer here." Dave pointed to a slot where the deck was supposed to go. "That way you can just unclip the lock on it and start your duel immediately."

"Right." Josh finished wrapping it around his wrist. He waved it around – apparently it was lighter than he initially thought.

"Alright, let's head back to Mr. Muto's!"

Josh rolled his eyes. "Uh, about th–"

"Hey! You guys!"

Dave and Josh, alarmed, darted their attention to the voice. Peter stood near a blocked-off game station, waving at them.

"Peter!"

The duo walked over; Josh shook hands with him, followed by Dave.

"Good to see you again," Dave said.

Josh nodded. "Yeah, didn't expect to see ya here."

Peter smiled. "I work here now."

The two raised an eyebrow. "You do?" Dave asked.

Peter turned back to the station behind him, resting a hand on the sign that read 'River Duel – brought to you by Dayos Entertainment.'

"Well, sorta. I was only supposed to come here to install this machine. But then the owner said he was going on vacation and offered me an extra few bucks to watch the place." He waved his other hand. "My boss didn't mind, so I took the deal."

Dave stepped closer to the platform. "So what is this thing? Some kind of arcade game?"

"Yep." Peter stepped aside, unveiling the 'rules sign' behind him. "It's basically a regular duel, only neither player starts out with a hand or a Deck."

"How do you play without any cards?" Josh asked curiously.

"Easy."

Peter brought their attention to one of the two tables on either end of the station. Josh recognized the tables' design – it was similar to the Duel Monster's game mats that he used in the casual tournament. To their left, a large slide-like table stood next to the table; two mechanical hatches were sealed on both the top and bottom of it.

"See this thing?" He pointed to the slide. "At the start of your turn, dozens of random cards pour out of it. Instead of just drawing from a traditional deck, you pick out one of these cards and use it to duel instead."

"You duel with only one card at a time?" Dave asked, smiling. "That sounds like a challenge."

"Yep, there's two modes too. Quick-Play and Regular. Regular Duel gives you 8000 Life Points, like a normal duel would, while Quick-Play only gives you 4000." Peter ran back over to the rules sign. "I actually just finished wiring this thing up. You guys wanna be the first to test it out?"

Dave glanced at Josh, who hesitated. He didn't really want to duel again, though Dave probably was going to force him to eventually. Besides, Peter's their friend.

"Okay," Josh said. "Let's go for a Quick-Play."

"Alright."

Peter fumbled with a monitor near the sign, and the station came to life with a piercing white light. Josh took his position behind one of the tables, while Dave did the same on the opposite side.

"I'm just gonna go in the back to make sure the card shooter works correctly. Have fun!" Peter said, rushing away.

Josh looked at the slide again, unsure what to think of it.

"Hey Josh," Dave said, drawing Josh's attention, "This'll be a great way to see what kinda cards suit you best. Good luck."

Josh paused, then smiled. "Same to you."

[Josh LP: (4000)] [Dave LP: (4000)]

A holographic roulette spun, eventually highlighting Josh's name. It then prompted him to choose 'First to Go' or 'Second to Go'. Since he still didn't feel comfortable with the game yet, he selected 'Second to Go' and the holograms faded on cue.

_Hopefully this won't be too complicated._

On Dave's side, the small hatches opened, shooting out a stream of face-down cards from top to bottom. Dave hesitated, waited to see if there was any trick to it. But then, he decided, it was all luck anyway, so he snatched a card and quickly retreated his hand. The top hatch shut automatically, and, when the remaining cards finished falling through, the bottom hatch shut as well.

"I like this so far," Dave said, smirking. "I set a monster face-down and end my turn."

He placed the card on the center of the table, and the image of the brown-backed card recreated itself on the platform between the two players.

Now Josh's slide activated, spilling out cards to no end. He cautiously swiped a card, and the slide shut off immediately.

Josh sighed. _This shouldn't be so bad._ He looked at his chosen card, a 4-starred monster. _It doesn't really give us much of a choice either way._ "I summon Raging Eria."

With a whirlwind of water, a rag-dressed maiden appeared. Its wavy blue hair tumbled down to her hips, and its tiny dinosaur hovered over its shoulder, eagerly awaiting an order from its master. It held up its staff, as if to tell the pet not to make any harsh movements. (**800**/1500)

"Raging Eria – attack his face-down card!"

The maiden lifted its staff, shooting off a barrage of bubbles. The face-down card converted into a monster – a purple ball of blob (as Josh would described it) that sat wiggling around as the bubbles burst around it. The blob exploded, unable to handle the assault.

Josh silently celebrated. Now he had an advantage.

"You destroyed my Giant Germ," Dave started, "which means you take 500 damage."

Josh felt mucus latch onto his arm, apparently sucking the Life Points out of him. [Josh LP: (4000 - 3500)] He shook it off, disgusted. At least he still had a monster out, while Dave still had nothing.

"And not only that, when a Giant Germ is destroyed, I can Special Summon any number of them from my Deck." The top hatch opened, spitting out two cards. Dave promptly laid them on the table, allowing the two blobballs to reappear. (**1000**/100)

Well… so much for that. "I end my turn."

"Alright." The stream of cards shot out again; Dave picked a new one and the slide closed once more. "I activate this, The Wave of Ill Intent." A Spell Card materialized behind the two germs, the Spell's two large eyes glaring maliciously at Josh. "Now whenever a monster I control is destroyed by battle, you take 300 damage."

Josh nodded. He needed to be careful of that.

"Now, Giant Germ, attack his Raging Eria!"

The germ on the left rolled forward like a bowling ball, growing in size as it gained momentum. It bashed into the maiden and its pet, crushing them into holographic pancakes. Josh cringed. [Josh LP: (3500 - 3300)] Now _he_ was at a disadvantage.

"Giant Germ number two, attack him directly!" Dave ordered, the second germ rolled just as the other returned.

Josh panicked – he knew this would happen but he didn't expect it to happen so soon. His eyes flashed side to side trying to find a place to dodge. The germ came closer. Without any time left, Josh ducked behind the table, and the germ rammed straight into it at top speed. [Josh LP: (3300 - 2300)]

Dave peered over, trying to see Josh. "You alright?"

A second later he saw an arm climb onto the table, then Josh pulled himself up. "Ye-yeah." Suddenly self-conscious, Josh gazed at the arcade beside him. _Thank god no one saw that._

Josh stood up to find his slide had already activated. To make up for lost time, he pulled one out quickly. _Fairy Box_, he thought. _Darnit, I was really hoping for a monster._ He skimmed through its text. _Still, this Trap may stop me from taking any more hits._ "I'll set card face-down and end my turn!"

"Alright." Dave brushed his hand against the mechanical slide, catching the first card that fell out. He looked at it, then put it aside. Seemed like it wasn't going to use it this turn. "Giant Germ, attack him directly!"

"No ya don't!" Josh flipped over his Trap Card. "I activate this!"

The germ proceeded to roll at its opponent, when a large whack-a-mole game wrapped itself around both Josh and his Duel Table. It stopped, seemingly from confusion (although neither player could really tell).

"When Fairy Box is out, your monster has to take a guess whether or not me or my monsters are under there. If you miss, then your monster's ATK becomes 0!"

Josh ducked down through one of the holes, hiding inside the box. The germ had six holes to choose from, but only one of them hid its target.

_So it's an arcade game within an arcade game?_ Dave chuckled. "Giant Germ –" he shouted, "– attack the leftmost hole!"

The Giant Germ obeyed, leaping into the air before forcibly smashing into the designated hole. However, it fell straight through, then rolled back out in a dizzied manner. (**1000 - 0**/100)

Dave frowned. "Alright, then I'll attack the rightmost hole!"

_Shit!_ Josh felt the floor beneath him rise.

The next Giant Germ repeated the same movements as its partner, only this time Josh unexpectedly came out of hiding. Josh leaped out of the way before it struck him, allowing the germ to roll off the table again, leaving a trail of mucus where it hit. [Josh LP: (2300 - 1300)] Josh reluctantly stepped back into the hole, trying not to vomit.

"My turn, then…"

Josh selected a new card, happy to see that he got a monster. And it was strong enough to take down those Giant Germs! Good riddance to them.

Before he could play his monster, though, another holographic screen prompted him, saying 'Pay cost?'. At first he was confused, then he realized what it meant. In order to keep Fairy Box in play he needed to pay 500 Life Points each turn. It had been good to him so far, so he clicked the 'Yes' button and the screen went away. [Josh LP: (1300 - 800)]

"Alright, here we go." He laid the Monster Card onto the table, which lit up with a computerized-circuit pattern.

On cue, an array of whirlwinds circulated in front of him, forming together until a green genie rose out of the top. The remainder of the whirlwinds swirled underneath it, hiding the lower half of its body.

"Koa'ki Meiru Tornado (**1500**/1200)," Josh called, struggling to pronounce its name, "attack his Giant Germ!"

The genie flexed its muscles, causing the whirlwinds beneath it to aimlessly shoot out multiple shockwaves of gust. One of them cut through the leftmost Giant Germ, splitting it in half before it exploded. [Dave LP: (4000 - 3500)]

"Yeah!" Josh celebrated, fist-pumping.

"Giant Germ's effect activates, taking away 500 points of damage."

"Wha?" Josh loosened his fist as the same mucus from before clenched onto his skin. [Josh LP: (800 - 300)]

Dave pointed to his Spell Card, whose picture started to glow with a black aura. "And now Wave of Ill Intent activates, inflict 300 points since you destroyed my monster."

Josh shook the mucus off. _No way!_

As the whirlwinds died down, a new vortex formed between the duelists. Dark static whirled around, sparking through Josh's table, destroying his monster and his Fairy Box in the process. [Josh LP: (300 - 0)] The holograms died down, and the terminals shut off with a click.

Dave walked to Josh, who stilled stared distantly at the center of the field.

"You gotta be careful. Remember to pay attention to _every_ cards' effect before you make any decisions."

Yeah, 'cause Dave's never made any impulsive decisions before.

Peter ran back to them just as they stepped down from the platform.

"Looks like everything ran smoothly. Thanks again guys."

"No problem," Dave said. "We'll be sure to visit you again sometime."

Peter grinned. "Thanks. I look forward to it."

The three parted ways; Josh and Dave proceeded back to the entrance.

"So you know what kinda cards you like yet?"

"Not really," Josh mumbled. He honestly didn't care at all.

"Well there's plenty of tim…"

Dave stopped. Josh, only noticing after a couple of paces, looked back at him.

"Dave?"

Dave seemed to be in a trance, staring blankly at someone behind him. He averted his gaze in the same direction.

A man in a gray leather jacket fumbled with the arcade machine in front of him, occasionally brushing his spikey hair back.

"Hey, it's Adam!" Josh shouted, walking towards him. Dave, apparently startled, followed reluctantly.

Adam pressed a final button and the word 'WINNER' raced across the machine's screen. When he finally noticed them, he greeted them by tossing his head to the side.

"Long time no see," Adam said. He faced them, positioning his body so his hands still rested on the terminal's surface. He nodded towards Josh's arm. "I see you started dueling now."

"Not really," Josh said. "I just bought this thing five minutes ago."

"I see." Adam took his hands away, hung them by his waist.

Dave gazed past him, gestured towards the machine. "What's that you were playing?"

Adam looked back at it; it was designed after an Egyptian-themed, human-shaped monster, presumably a Duel Monster, judging from the cards resting on the table.

"Exodia the Invincible One," Adam said. "Fun game, kinda easy though."

Josh examined the monster's face. It kinda frightened him, but it wasn't exactly scary. More like fierce.

"What's Exodia?" Josh asked. "Is it some kinda strong monster?"

Dave and Adam chuckled.

"Kinda," Dave said, reaching into his back pocket.

"It's a unique monster – the whole creature is spread out into five cards," Adam began. "Two arms, two legs, and the head. All of them are incredibly weak by themselves, especially because the limbs are all Normal Monsters. But if you can get them all into your hand at the same time, you automatically win the duel."

Josh considered this, interested. "So that's all that's required? I'm surprised everyone doesn't use a deck with them in it."

"It's 'cause they're all so rare," Dave said. He lifted out a card, showing it to them; a vanilla-colored card with a brown, bulky arm protruding from the left side of the picture. Behind it, a mystical star-pointed design appeared to be forming. "I only managed to get the Left Arm, but it has no place in my deck, so I just keep it on me for good luck."

Josh watched him put it away, then faced Adam again. "So I'm guessing you have to beat the computer before it uses Exodia on you?"

"Right," Adam said. "But there's a catch – the computer has infinite Life Points, meaning you can't beat it through normal methods." He made brief eye-contact with Dave. "I won by making the machine Deck-Out."

_Wasn't that the same way he beat Dave?_ Josh recalled.

"Wait a second." Dave stepped forward, intrigued. "How did you do that without the computer summoning Exodia? It definitely has methods to recover lost pieces even if you managed to get some in the Graveyard."

"Like I said, it was easy." Adam slid his fingertips across the terminal's surface, picking up one of his cards in the process. He lifted it up, showing it to them.

Josh recognized it immediately – Exchange.

"All I had to do was take a piece away." He shoved the card back into his Card Analyzer. "Once I did that, I just had to stall. The computer's only programed to gather the pieces together, so once I held one of the pieces in my hand it was completely helpless."

Dave attempted to hide his amazement. "Good strategy. I would've never thought of that."

Adam weakly smiled. "Well, I gotta do some shopping. I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Josh held out his hand; Adam answered with a handshake.

"See ya then."

Adam scooped up his cards, carefully gathering them into his Card Analyzer. Dave started to tell Josh about alternate win-conditions as they headed out the door.

Meanwhile, from the River Duel station, Peter watched them exit. He had watched them the whole time, with suspicious edge in his eyes. He slowly traced his eyes back to the Exodia game, glaring at Adam.

"So," he whispered, "the target has friends."

* * *

><p>The air stood still on the walk back; no one seemed to be around for miles. Even the birds remained silent as they approached Mr. Muto's game shop.<p>

"So, you have any idea what kinda cards you wanna get?" Dave asked. For the seventh time today.

"Nah," Josh said, reaching for the doorknob. "I'm just gonna see what he has and go from there."

Dave smiled gently. "Sounds good to me."

_Good,_ Josh thought. He placed his hand on the doorknob, cradled it in his palm.

And the sound of shattering glass stabbed through their ears.

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… Data Found:

**Fallen Nation**

[Spell/Field]

Increase the ATK and DEF of all "Fallen" monsters on your side of the field by 500 points. You may Special Summon an additional "Fallen" monster from your Graveyard each turn. If this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, you can pay 1000 Life Points to return it to the top of your deck.

**Double Grave Ceremony**

[Spell/Continuous]

You may Special Summon an additional "Fallen" monster from your Graveyard each turn.

**Fallen Hero Clayman**

[Earth]

[Warrior/Effect]

(800/2000)

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can Special Summon itself from the Graveyard. You can only Special Summon 1 "Fallen" monster this way per turn. If a non-"Fallen" monster exists in your Graveyard, you may not Special Summon this card this way. This card's name is also treated as "Elemental Hero Clayman". If this card is attacked, you can remove this card from play to destroy the attacking monster to inflict 800 damage to your opponent's Life Points.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen**

Josh's heart thumped heavily in his chest. Sweat slipped passed his ear, sliding down his neck. His hand, still on the doorknob, was frozen in place.

Behind him, Dave stepped forward silently. He, too, was clearly shaken up.

"Open the door," he whispered. "We need to make sure Mr. Muto is okay." He put his hand on top of Josh's, turned the doorknob for him.

The once organized shop was now an area of chaos. Cards and glass fragments laid sloppily across the floor, creating a messy path leading to the desk. A man stood at the end; his tall, bulky build towered over Mr. Muto, who was lying on the floor with his eyes closed. A cracked had formed on the glass behind him – the man probably threw him into it.

"Mr. Muto!" Dave yelled against his will. He ran forward, Josh grabbed his arm, forcing him back.

The man turned around; his worn, blue uniform turned with him, revealing its rusted badges and tears. He lifted his chin, showing a deep-cut scar trailing from the top of his neck to the bottom of his left eye.

"Who the hell are you?" The man asked gravely.

"I should be asking you the same question!" Dave shouted, stepping forward again. Josh restrained him. "What the hell are you doing to Mr. Muto!"

The man held out his right arm, aiming the in-hand gun at them. A click snapped throughout the room.

"I came here in search of powerful cards." He showed his left arm, revealing a Duel Disk. "I heard the old man here holds the best cards in the country, so I decided to pay him a visit." His lips formed a crooked smile.

"You're insane! He's done nothing to you!"

"No, but my boss wants me to prepare for our… 'project', and he needs powerful cards to do it."

Dave thrust his left arm, breaking free of Josh's hold, showed the man his Duel Disk.

"If you really want rare cards take mine! My deck has plenty of rare cards!"

"No." the man turned. "You may have been a finalist in Kaiba's tournament, but your cards aren't what we're looking for."

_Kaiba's tournament…_ Josh perked his eyebrows up in realization.

"You're with the receptionist!" he shouted, joining Dave.

The man laughed darkly. "If that's what you call her. Yes, she is with my organization but she's one of our underlings. She failed her mission so I decided to make up for her stupidity."

Grandpa roused, started to stand up.

"Ah, looks like the old man's finally awake." The man clasped a strong hand onto Grandpa's bicep, pointing the gun just above the shopkeeper's nose. "Now, I'll tell you one last time – give me all your powerful cards or I'll shoot you and burn this whole place down!"

"No, please!" Grandpa shouted, afraid to get too close.

"That's enough," Dave stepped forward again. "I challenge you to a duel. If I win you leave without second thought. If you win you take as many cards as you want!"

"Is that so?" The man turned back, angrily darting his eyes at Dave. The gun soon followed. "Do you think I'm that stupid?"

Alarmed, Dave backed up. Josh drew in his breathe.

"You used the same trick on that dumb bitch. It's obvious that you're the better duelist here…" He paused, eyeing Josh's Duel Disk. "But I'll take your offer." He lowered his gun. "If I duel your friend instead."

Josh's eyes lit up. His voice shook.

"Me? No! Nononono _no_!"

Dave stepped in front of him.

"He's never dueled before in his life!" It was sort of a lie, but Josh wasn't complaining. "That isn't fair at all!"

"Then how about this?" The man said, lifted Grandpa by the arm. Grandpa weakly limped in his hands. "I'll duel with 4000 Life Points instead of 8000, and you get to monitor your friend's actions."

"But I don't even have a deck!" Josh shouted, tossing his arms to the side. The platform on his Duel Disk knocked into his sweatshirt, knocking out his Card Analyzer, knocking it onto the floor. The case broke, spilling his cards everywhere.

Josh stared at them, dumbfounded.

The man chuckled. "I'll see you outside." He dragged Grandpa past them, looked over his shoulder as he exited. "The name's Jonathan, to answer your question." He laughed again.

Josh bent over, picked up the Monster Reborn card at his feet, silently prayed.

"Dave." His eyes trembled. "You didn't tell me this game involved guns."

* * *

><p>Jonathan tossed Grandpa onto the dirt beside him; the short, old man rubbed his head, steadily crawling away from Jonathan's gun. He managed to slide about a foot away before he collapsed on the ground.<p>

He cupped his face in his hands. "I'm getting too old for this..."

On the other side of the entrance, Josh shuffled his deck, with Dave standing over his shoulder. Josh was happy that Grandpa's shop was so isolated for two reasons. One, there wouldn't be anyone around to watch him embarrass himself when he lost. Two, there wouldn't be anyone around to watch him embarrass himself when he had to dodge bullets like a frantic chicken.

"Remember, pay careful attention to your opponent's cards. That's the reason I beat you in the Arcade. If you don't, we're dead."

"Yeah, so no pressure right?" Josh said dryly. He shoved his Card Analyzer into his Duel Disk. Dave realized his mistake.

"Sorry. I didn't –"

"I know what ya mean," Josh said. He held up his arm, trying to figure out how to turn the Duel Disk on.

"Don't worry. If you need me I'm right here with you."

Josh finally found the button – the Duel Disk miraculously swung together, nearly chopping his left hand off. Its blue platform swung to the side, and its meter lit up with electronic digits. He drew his five cards, looking them over as Dave told him to. On the other side, Jonathan laughed again.

"This should be quick."

[Josh LP: (8000)] [Jonathan LP: (4000)]

"Since I start with a disadvantage it's only fair that I go first, right?" He cracked wicked smile. "I summon Volcanic Slicer in Attack Mode!"

A bipedal dinosaur-like monster charged out its reanimated card hologram. Though it had no visible eyes on its spikey golden armor, its stare pierced through Josh's soul. (**1800**/1200) It growled, exhaling a small ember from its fangs.

"Don't worry," Dave said. "He can't attack the on the first turn of the duel, so you still have a chance to strike back."

Jonathan smiled again, revealed that one of his teeth was cracked. "Not quite. Thanks to its special ability I can inflict 500 damage in exchange for its attack each turn."

Josh's eyes widened. Dave took a defensive stance.

"And, as you said, I can't attack this turn, so that sounds like an excellent trade off!" Jonathan proudly clutched his fist. "Volcanic Slicer, set him ablaze!"

Volcanic Slicer reared its head back, using its entire body's momentum to shoot a fireball from its mouth. The molten sphere reflected in Josh's gaze, struck him full force. He stumbled back, but Dave caught him by the arm. [Josh LP: (8000 - 7500)]

"Are you okay?"

Josh caught his breathe, nodded. He had just survived his first real attack. But judging from the tournament, he hadn't seen anything yet.

"That's nothing compared to what's next!" Three cards flashed at Jonathan's feet. "Your turn."

Josh stepped forward, gripping his top card. He was shaking – he couldn't control it – but he couldn't let his opponent know.

Jonathan raised an eyebrow. "What's the matter kid? Scared?"

_Shit._ He drew, averted his attention to his hand. The drawn card was Cross Counter – the card that had humiliated him in his first duel against that one kid. Then he looked to his other cards. Shadow Ghoul, Dark Jeroid, Double Attack, Stealth Bird, Attack and Receive – all cards he'd seen Elisa use in his lesson. This calmed him down greatly.

He actually knew what to do.

"Alright," Josh said, taking the Dark Jeroid card out. "I'll summon this monster!"

Dave watched him slowly fit the card onto the center space, the multi-limbed ghoul remerged before them. It groaned, holding its bottom hands near its lowered face. (**1200**/1500)

"Too bad, that card's too weak." Jonathan smiled, repressed a chuckle. "Looks like I chose the right opponent for this duel."

Grandpa slowly stood up, regaining his strength. _Come on Josh, my shop depends on you._

"No-not quite."

Dave looked to Josh. This wasn't good. Even if Josh had a strategy in mind, Jonathan could easily overwhelm him with his current mentality.

"I use D-Dark Jeroid's effect to decrease your monster's ATK by 800!"

The blue ghoul held out his hands and spikes. A thumping sound resonated from its body; its heart above its head shined with a dark pink glow. A soundwave shot out at Volcanic Slicer, and the monster irritably held its stubby arms to its non-existent ears. (**1800 - 1000**/1200)

"Now I activate the Tra… er, Spell Card, Double Attack!" Josh had trouble shoving the card into its slot, eventually it fell in place like a key to a lock. "By discarding a higher leveled monster I can have my Dark Jeroid attack twice this turn." He threw his Shadow Ghoul card into the red slot, which he knew led to the Graveyard. He was slightly surprised to see that when he placed the card above it, the Duel Disk automatically sucked it up.

Dark Jeroid prepared to pounce.

"Ha, not bad kid," Jonathan whispered, though everyone could still hear him.

"Dark Jeroid, attack!" Josh felt empowered when he gave the command. The monster lunged at the dinosaur-monster, crushing through its armor with its sharp spikes. [Jonathan LP: (4000 - 3800)]

"But not good enough." Josh's heart skipped a beat. Jonathan activated a Trap. "When a FIRE monster gets destroyed Backfire gives you a nice surprise!"

The center card rose, fire surging out of it immediately. The blast submerged Dark Jeroid, knocking it back to its original spot, with the residual flames searing Josh's torso. Josh held a hand to his chest, bending over. [Josh LP: (7500 - 7000)]

"Agh, this is too much." Josh weakly looked to Dave. "How do you handle all this?"

"You get used to it."

Jonathan crossed his arms. "Are you done yet?"

Dave helped Josh recompose himself.

"Not even close," Dave said. "Double Attack is still in effect, which means Dark Jeroid can attack again!"

Josh looked to his monster as if it had disobeyed. "You heard him!"

Dark Jeroid pounced again, this time using all its strength to throw itself straight at Jonathan.

Another Trap rose. "I activate Firewall!"

A card ejected out of Jonathan's Graveyard, igniting as it struck the ground, creating a literal wall of fire, successfully stopping Dark Jeroid in its tracks.

"No!" Josh yelled in dismay.

"Yes." Jonathan held out his arm, presenting the card responsible. "With Firewall out I can banish a FIRE monster from my Graveyard to stop any direct attack I choose." The flames went out. "Nice try."

Josh hung his head. "Sorry Dave, I thought I had him there."

"That wasn't your fault, I thought you did too," Dave said. Josh brought his gaze to him. "He's not playing around. Be prepared for anything now."

Josh returned to the duel. "I'll try." He slid Cross Counter and Attack and Receive into two slots, their enlarged forms greeting him a few steps ahead. "But I dunno if I can take much more of this."

"I take it that your turn has ended," Jonathan said. His third Trap rose, depicting a woman gleefully basking in a sun shower. "I activate Solemn Wishes. Each time I draw a card I gain 500 Life Points." He drew, causing the designated card to shine. [Jonathan LP: (3800 - 4300)]

"What a cheap way to get around his own rules," Dave grumbled.

"And now it's time to pay Firewall's fee to keep it in play. A measly 500 Life Points per turn." [Jonathan LP: (4300 - 3800)]

_An excellent strategy,_ Grandpa thought. _The two cards cancel each other out but he still gets the benefits of both._

"I'll place a monster in Defense Position and end to give you a fighting chance."

A horizontal brown card appeared ahead of the other three. Jonathan crossed his arms again.

_Alright Josh,_ the new duelist said to himself. _Concentrate. You can do this._

His next card was Salamandra, which he remembered Elisa equipping to a FIRE monster to increase its power. But he had no FIRE monsters out right now, so it was useless.

Josh glanced over his shoulder at Dave. "What should I do?" he whispered.

Dave leaned closer, whispering in his ear. "Try setting Stealth Bird face-down and keep Dark Jeroid in Attack Position. He'll probably go after the Attack Position monster to eat at your Life Points and will probably ignore your face-down Stealth Bird for the moment. Then next turn you can Flip Summon Stealth Bird to inflict 1000 damage to him."

"But Stealth Bird only has 700 ATK, won't it get trampled the turn after?"

"No, look at the rest of its effect – it can flip itself face-down once a turn."

"Hurry up," Jonathan shouted to them. "I'm on a timetable here. My boss doesn't like it when his subjects are late."

_Subjects?_ Josh took his Stealth Bird card, pressed it on the slot next to his other monster. "I'll play a monster face-down." A brown backed card flashed ahead of Josh's two traps. "And now I'll have my Dark Jeroid attack _your_ face-down monster!"

Dark Jeroid leapt, using its many hands to push it off the ground. Dave tensed.

"Josh, no!"

Josh glanced back. "Huh?"

Dark Jeroid slammed its spikes into the opposing face-down card, smashing it to bits. A small, green robot momentarily appeared in its place, shattered like glass a second later. The fragments hovered, and Jonathan laughed.

"You destroyed my Volcanic Blaster, which means I get to take one 'Volcanic' monster in my deck and move it to the top." He shortly searched, presented the card a beat later. "I think I'll use Volcanic Rocket." He shoved his deck back into his Duel Disk, placing Volcanic Rocket on top.

"Was that what you were warning me about, Dave?"

Dave shook his head.

"And now –" The floating fragments flew into Jonathan's Trap Card, igniting its frame. "– Backfire inflicts 500 damage to you!"

"What?"

A stream of flames burst out of the card, engulfing Josh in the wave. [Josh LP: (7000 - 6500)] Josh held his chest again. Dave comforted him.

"You gotta pay attention to the cards he has out. His cards support FIRE monsters so it's safe to assume his whole deck revolves around them."

"These FIRE monsters are pretty tough," Josh said weakly. He strained to straighten his posture.

"And they're only gonna get tougher!" Jonathan snarled, drew a card. "Solemn Wishes gives me 500 extra Life Points for drawing –" [Jonathan LP: (3800 - 4300)] "– and Firewall takes it away." [Jonathan LP: (4300 - 3800)] "Now I'll summon a monster." He flipped the card with his thumb. "Guess who!"

Volcanic Rocket darted out of the trees, cutting the air with its sharp wings. The brown pterodactyl-like monster landed, keeping its body close to the ground, poised to charge. (**1900**/1400) True to its name, while the monster was idle, it resembled the aerodynamic shape of a rocket.

"When this card is summoned, I can take a Blaze Accelerator card from my deck and put it in my hand." A card from the center of his deck stuck out. The scarred duelist took it with two firm fingers. "Your Dark Jeroid has been out longer than necessary. Volcanic Rocket will change that."

Volcanic Rocket lifted its limbs off the floor, aimed itself at the ghoul. Whipping its tail back, it shot forward, slicing through the ghoul with its beak, resulting in a small explosion. Josh and Dave covered their eyes with their sleeves. [Josh LP: (6500 - 5800)]

"Now I'll activate Blaze Accelerator!" A tiny, three-legged machine perched itself beside Jonathan. The machine unfolded, setting up its weapons, and aimed its single barrel. "Of course, I can't use it this turn, so I'll end."

"He has a lot of Continuous Spell and Trap Cards," Dave said. "Do you have anything that can take them out?"

Josh shook his head. "I don't think so."

Dave grimaced. "Those cards are gonna be a problem if we don't stop them soon."

Josh pulled a new card, the Stronghold Guardian. Now he remembered his first duel completely – he attacked into a Defense Position monster, and his opponent powered it up with this card. Then, he used Cross Counter to double the damage and destroy the attacking monster.

He looked to his face-down card, which he knew to be Stealth Bird. All he had to do was reveal it so that Jonathan would know its DEF value – that way, Josh would be able to trick him into attacking it and use the same strategy that had done so much damage to him.

It was worth a shot.

"I got you now!" Josh flipped over the card, switching it to a vertical position. "I summon my Stealth Bird!"

A sky-blue bird soared out of the card, fluttered over the field. Its head resembled a bat, and perked its ears just as a bat would. (**700**/1700)

"Not strong enough to take on my Rocket."

"No." For some reason Josh's heart skipped a beat. But why? He knew what he was doing.

_Oh Josh_, Dave thought. _Please don't let your nervousness get to you._

"When Stealth Bird is Flip Summoned, it inflicts 1000 damage to your Life Points!"

Josh pointed at Jonathan; Stealth Bird dove in, folding its wings so its strike was quick and sharp. Jonathan cringed, then swatted his arm as the monster flew away. [Jonathan LP: (3800 - 2800)]

"And now I'll use Stealth Bird's second effect to return it to face-down Defense Position." A hollow card appeared on the ground, serving as a landing pad for the bat-like bird. Once its talons touched its surface, it reverted back to a normal brown card. "That's it for now." Josh's hand trembled as he brought it to his side.

"Like I said, this'll be quick." Jonathan drew. [Jonathan LP: (2800 - 3300)] "You know what? I don't think you'll be getting to my Life Points for a while. So I don't need this card anymore." He gestured towards his Firewall card, which shattered on cue.

_Now his Life Points will constantly increase without any hindrance,_ Grandpa thought, touching his fingers to his chin. _This isn't good._

"Now let's see what we have here…" Jonathan looked at his drawn card. A wicked sparkle glimmered in his eyes.

Josh froze again.

Jonathan held the card close to his Duel Disk. "I Set one card face-down." He slid it into a lower slot. Once the card fit in entirely, small bits of rainbow static sparked around his Duel Disk; its platforms glared unusually bright.

For a second – so quick that it almost went unnoticed – the holograms flickered, disrupting the images so that they appeared jumbled bits of electronic data. Another second later, they reverted back to normal.

_Huh?_ Josh blinked. _What just happened?_

"Time to put my Blaze Accelerator to use!" Jonathan shouted, picking out another card from his hand. The tiny machine whirred to life, aimed itself at his opponent. "By discarding a Pyro monster with 500 or less ATK, Blaze Accelerator allows me to destroy a monster you control." He threw a card into his Graveyard – Dave noticed it; knew it to be Volcanic Counter – and the tiny robot charged up its barrel.

It was aimed at Stealth Bird.

"No!" Josh stared at the barrel, traced its path with his eyes. _My strategy's ruined if it's gone!_

"Fire!"

The machine blasted a small bullet-sized monster, sending it spiraling across the lawn. It slammed into the brown card, setting it on fire. The bat-like bird tried to escape the flames, but its wings had been ignited, rendering unable to fly away.

Josh stared at the ashes, the smoke. His plan was up in smoke.

"You're lucky," Jonathan stated, calling for everyone's attention. "Whenever Blaze Accelerator is used, I can't attack for the rest of the turn. So I'll place a monster face-down and end."

Jonathan watched Josh's hand move for his deck, grinned.

"Alright, my go." He was in bad shape. He needed a good card to save him, and he needed it now.

He drew.

Dave watched Josh lift the card closer to his face, as if he moved in slow-motion. On the other side of the field, Jonathan's smile widened.

Josh knew this card. It wasn't his. At least, not originally.

_"It's called Exchange. When it's activated both players pick one card in the other's hand and they trade it until the end of the duel. If you have no other options this card can help you out of a bind. But don't use it if you don't want your opponent taking away a key card from you."_

_Adam…_ Josh lowered the card slightly, gazed at Jonathan's hand.

He held one card.

Adam was right. If he could swipe a strong card from Jonathan – which, from the way he'd been playing, wouldn't be a problem – he may be able to turn this duel around.

It was his only chance.

"I ac–" A rising Trap Card cut him off.

"I activate the Trap Card, Theft."

Dave and Grandpa raised an eyebrow.

"I've never heard of that card," Dave said aimlessly. Josh turned to him.

"I don't think a card like even exists," Grandpa mused. "Surely I would've heard about it."

Jonathan smirked. "If you're so sure, then why don't you check that Card Analyzer of yours and find out?"

Dave waltzed over to Josh. "Do it."

"Right," Josh nodded, opening the search menu. He typed in the card's name – Theft – and waited for the bar to finish loading.

"Card Analyzer activated…

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data: 'Theft' …"

_Hehehe…_

"Searching for Card Data… … …"

"What's wrong?" Dave whispered. "Did you type it in right?"

"Yeah. I don't know what's taking so long."

"… … … … …No match found."

"What?" Dave and Josh shouted simultaneously. They stepped back, as if a windblast had shoved them, and glowered at their opponent.

He laughed madly.

"What kind of trick is this?" Dave yelled, angrily clutching his fist.

Jonathan calmed himself; the sinister grin never left his face. "This is the power of the Deck Hackers!"

_Deck Hackers?_ Josh receded into his thoughts.

"_Once I take your deck back to my new boss, we'll be one step closer to ruining this company and eventually I'll burn it down with my bare hands!"_

"_No, but my boss wants me to prepare for our… 'project', and he needs powerful cards to do it."_

"_Yes, she is with my organization but she's one of our underlings. She failed her mission so I decided to make up for her stupidity."_

"Who are you?" Josh finally spoke. His fear disappeared; replaced by curiosity. "What kind of organization is the 'Deck Hackers'?"

Jonathan's smile twisted. "As I said, I am Jonathan. And, just as I said before, the Deck Hackers is an organization that needs rare cards for our plans to be successful." He turned to the side, met his gaze with Grandpa. "Of course –" he looked back to the two duelists "– most truly powerful cards have way too many restrictions on them. So…"

He began to laugh again, reeling his head back.

Everyone silently waited for him to continue.

"So, we decided to create our own!"

"But how!" Dave stepped beside Josh. "Cards need to be registered on the Card Database for them to work with our Duel Disks. If there's no data on it in our Card Analyzers then there's no way you can use it."

"You two don't listen very well, do you?" He held up his Duel Disk, showing his Card Analyzer. Its screen went red. "I'm with the Deck _Hackers_. In other words, we _hacked_ the system so we can do whatever we want!"

Josh shot a frightened glance at Dave.

Dave returned his own.

"Back to the duel," Jonathan commanded. "Since none of you can figure out what this card does, I'll gladly explain it to you. By paying 800 Life Points –" [Jonathan LP: (3300 - 2500)] "– Theft enables me to take any cards you draw and put them in my hand."

_No!_

Static whipped around the Trap Card in question until it finally stabilized its position.

"I don't believe it," Dave said under his breath.

The silhouette of a hand flung out of the card, snagging the Exchange card out of Josh's hand. He tried to grab it back, but the arm retreated, tossing the card into Jonathan's hold.

Jonathan presented the card to him. "What's wrong? Did a take a good card from you?" He laughed again.

Josh moped, looked to the two cards in his hand. Stronghold Guardian, and Salamandra. Without another monster, his strategy was ruined. He had no choice but to put Stronghold Guardian out to defend his Life Points.

"I play a monster and end my turn." A horizontal card flickered before him.

"That's it? Looks like I did more damage than I thought." Jonathan yanked out a card [Jonathan LP: (2500 - 3000)], placing it beside the single card in his hand, which Josh knew to be Exchange. "Let's see here… ah, I know." A Spell Card rose up; Dave grimaced at the sight of it.

"Pot of Greed lets me draw two cards, and Solemn Wishes gives me more Life Points since I drew again."

[Josh LP: (5800)] [Jonathan LP: (3000 - 3500)]

"Now, to use your own card against you, I activate Exchange!"

Josh's heart skipped a beat at the sight of it.

"I'm not gonna insult your intelligence on this one…" Jonathan smiled. The holograms vanished. He walked towards his opponent boastfully.

"Remember, read their effects carefully and take a card that you think he can use against you," Dave said.

Josh nodded, walked forward.

The two duelists met in the center of the playing field; Grandpa watched them look over the others' cards.

"You're not giving me much options are you?" Jonathan said, taking the Salamandra card. With empty hands, Josh glanced at the three cards Jonathan had.

All of them were monsters. That was a good thing – if he didn't draw one next turn he would at least have one ready. Now it was just a matter of which one to take. The first card was a small monster whose body resembled Volcanic Slicer's head. That didn't matter much – he needed to take Dave's advice and judge it by its power. 100 ATK, 0 DEF. That didn't seem very useful…

The second one looked far stronger – it looked like a massive blob made of molten lava. A cage hung from its chest, containing a person inside. It looked pretty cool. No, that didn't matter. He needed to check its stats. 3000 ATK, 2500 DEF. Now that was more like it. Wait – it probably needs some Tributes to summon it, which would make it useless under his command. But, then again, Dave did say to take the card that could be used against him...

The last one was a mouse-like monster that looked like it had been infused with some magma. It was a vanilla-colored card, so that meant no effect. But if its stats were good, that wouldn't make a difference. 500 ATK and DEF. It was easily the worst option there…

He made his choice. Josh carefully slipped the Lava Golem card out from Jonathan's grip.

"'Bout time." Jonathan turned his back and returned to his spot by the trees.

As he made his way back to his own spot, Josh read over the card he took. _Hey, this is better than I thought._ He stopped, faced his opponent once again. _It lets me use my opponent's monsters to summon it. That'll leave him wide open._

"What'd you get?" Dave asked.

"It's good. I have an idea," Josh whispered.

"Volcanic Rocket, destroy his face-down monster. Volcanic Impact!"

Volcanic Rocket kicked off the ground, launching itself through the air. It stabbed its beak into the brown card, resulting in an explosion that kicked up dust from the ground. Volcanic Rocket flew out of the dust cloud, showing off its agile shape.

"Heh, it's your turn."

"Are you sure Josh?" Dave asked, peaking over his shoulder. "Let me see the card you too–"

"It got it," Josh interrupted. "I know how to handle this." He smiled. Blue-Winged Crown was his latest card. It didn't have bad stats, but without an effect it wouldn't be able to take on Volcanic Rocket. But for his plan, he didn't need to battle it at all.

"Now to use _your_ card against _you_!" Josh held it out. "I offer your two monsters to summon the almighty Lava Golem!"

"Josh, no!" Dave nearly dove in to stop him, but he had already thrown the card down.

Grandpa gasped. _He tricked him!_

Jonathan stared at his monsters; lava washed over Volcanic Rocket, soon dripping onto his face-down card as well. They melted into a pool of molten goo, which stewed together, swirling until two yellow eyes glared out of the puddle. Lava exploded out of the pool, consuming Jonathan entirely as it stretched upward until it was almost the size of building next to them. The lava shaped into a massive blob-like being, and a cage seeped through its chest, containing Jonathan inside. (**3000**/2500)

"Now how do you like that!" Josh pointed, then immediately lowered his finger. Something was wrong.

"You idiot." Jonathan cackled. "When Lava Golem is summoned, it's summoned to the _opponent's_ side of the field! This monster's mine!"

"N-no!" Josh stumbled back. How could he have been so stupid!

"Josh! You didn't read its effect did you?" Dave shouted.

"I-I did! But..." Josh shut his eyes tightly, shook his head. "I guess I didn't read close enough." He took his last card, held it near his ear. "I'll make up for it though! I summon Blue-Winged Crown in Defe–"

Jonathan wagged a finger. "Sorry, but Lava Golem takes up your summon for the turn."

_No…_ This can't be it. Now he's wide open. Josh's world spun out of control. Why did this have to happen to him? All he wanted to do was watch!

"Since you have no other cards to use, I guess you're done." Jonathan smiled and drew. [Jonathan LP: (3500 - 4000)]

Lava Golem groaned, holding its colossal hands closer to its chest.

Josh eyed the golem._ What's going on?_

Molten lava oozed from the monster's arms, dripping onto the cage underneath. It slimed down each bar, occasionally dripping onto Jonathan himself, who cringed as the liquid rock burned his flesh.

"Hehe," Jonathan opened one eye, gritted his teeth into a smile. "The pain feels good."

"What just happened?" Josh demanded.

"Lava Golem's fee. As long as I control it, I take 1000 damage each turn. That's what I was referring to when I was talking about powerful cards – too many things holding them back!" The vaporizing lava reflected in his eyes. [Jonathan LP: (4000 - 3000)]

_That's a lot of damage each turn…_ Josh fumbled with the Blue-Winged Crown card. _If I can stall long enough I may actually be able to win._

"I think it's time to use the gift you generously gave to me. I activate Salamandra!"

A flaming, serpentine dragon swirled out of the ground, wrapping Lava Golem with its body. The golem outstretched its arms, and the whole being erupted with an aura of fire. (**3000 - 3700**/2500)

Josh gulped.

"Lava Golem, strike at his Life Points! Magma Fist!"

Grandpa covered his eyes with his sleeve. Josh braced himself for the impact. Jonathan swung his fist across the air. Lava Golem hurled a punch at Josh simultaneously, as if its movements were linked to its master's. A gooey, flaming punch struck the duelist, causing him to stumble backwards slightly.

"Agh!" Josh screamed; wisps of pain shot through his body.

"Round two!" Jonathan threw an uppercut; the Lava Golem mimicked him, shooting residual flames from its molten fingers. The punch crashed into Josh's torso, toppling him over onto his back. [Josh LP: (5800 - 2100)]

"Josh!" Dave shouted, watching his friend fly past him.

"Hahahaha! This is too much fun!" Jonathan relaxed his fists, Lava Golem did the same. Josh sat up, rubbing his head.

Dave faced him, angered. "You're sick! Picking on an innocent person – this is power play!"

"You're right." Jonathan snickered, touching his pocket. "This _is _power play." He eyed Josh, who had just started to stand again. "You can't win. My cards are better, and my strategies are better. There's no hope for you."

Dave stepped forward, gripping his hat. "That's it." He held up his arm, flashing his deactivated Duel Disk. "I'm not gonna stand here while my best friend gets slaughtered by a flaming thief!"

Josh slowly lifted himself off the ground. His body ached everywhere. When he stood up a tight pain webbed on his shoulder blade. It probably bruised.

Jonathan's smile widened. "I think you will…" he whipped out the gun, shot two bullets in quick succession. Dave leapt as dirt flew up by his feet; his hat flew off his head as he came back down. He slammed onto his rear, the hat landing a few feet behind him.

Josh got up, ran to his side. "Dave, no!"

"Get outta the way!" Jonathan shouted, gesturing for him to move beside Grandpa.

Dave carefully lifted himself off the ground.

"Are you alright?" Josh whispered. This had gotten far more dangerous than he had ever dreamed.

"Who cares about me?" Dave silently countered. "We can't let him get away with this." He slowly limped next to Grandpa, who helped him stabilize his balance.

"I suggest you call it quits right here. I mean, why should I do any more harm to an innocent young boy like yourself?" Jonathan mocked. "The worst I'm gonna do is steal some cards. Why go through any more pain for a few pieces of cardboard?"

What he said made sense. But…

Josh sent a weak glance to the shop. Grandpa and Dave, both barely standing, were staring at him, hopeful, no… that wasn't it. They were fearful. Their lives were at stake – and that was something he couldn't risk anymore. He stared at the ground, contemplating his decision. Under his foot, he noticed something. Dave's hat. He picked it up, holding it firmly.

Jonathan watched on; raised an eyebrow.

"I've had enough of this!" Josh yelled, putting Dave's hat on his head. "I don't care how good you are or how bad I suck, I refuse to lose to _you_!"

Jonathan smirked. "Then show me what you got, boy!"

"I activate Attack and Receive!" Josh outstretched his hand; the Trap Card rose on command. "When I take Battle Damage it sends 700 damage your way."

"Heh, so what?" [Jonathan LP: (3000 - 2300)] "It's not gonna make a difference in the long run. Now go."

_Right._ Josh held his hand on his deck, breathed in through his nose. So much pressure was on this next card. And – even if he drew a good one – he wasn't sure he would be able to use it correctly.

_It's now or never._

He drew.

A Spell Card, featuring a golden grail, rested in between his fingertips, staying there as he read it over. _This might work… this might just work._

"What are you waiting for?" Jonathan asked impatiently.

Josh glared at him. "This!" He thrust the card into its slot. "I activate Cup of Ace!"

The golden grail materialized in the center of the field, magically filling up with water in an instant.

"Here's how it works. The grail chooses one of us –" he pointed at himself, then at Jonathan, who listened intently – "and that player gets to draw two cards."

_That's a very risky move,_ Grandpa thought. _It could easily backfire._

Josh waved his arm. "Now, choose!"

Silence swept across the playing field, followed by a light breeze that softly ruffled the trees. Everyone – Grandpa, Dave, Josh, Jonathan, and the giant creature towering over them – stared at the grail, expecting it to do something, but it never moved.

At that moment, a leaf danced through the air, guided by the wind, aimlessly floating in spiraling wonder. It passed both duelists, who traced its path with their gaze, until it finally landed in the tiny pool of water.

Both players leaned in to see.

The leaf pointed to Josh.

"Yes!"

Dave and Grandpa, with renewed energy, high-fived each other, then gave Josh a thumbs-up. Josh returned it; the holographic grail disintegrated, though its water remained, flowed towards the chosen duelist.

"Looks like I get the cards!"

"Not like it's gonna make a difference." Jonathan shrugged.

Josh slipped his two new cards out, tried to contain his eagerness. Both cards related to fire – Tremendous Fire, a Spell Card, and Raging Flame Sprite, a Monster Card. It wasn't much, but now he knew what to do.

He really knew!

"Here we go!" Josh held out his next card. "First I activate Tremendous Fire!"

Three light-blue pixies descended from above, holding small embers in each hand. They circled the field, throwing them down, setting the ground on fire. The flames scattered and spread, whipped around aimlessly without any hope for control.

"Huh?" Jonathan backed up in his cage. "What is this?"

"Tremendous Fire, of course." Josh smirked. His first _real_ confident move. Ever. Dave couldn't have been prouder. "When it's activate _you_ take 1000 damage while _I_ only take 500!"

Flames lashed out at Jonathan, slipping past the cage's bars, searing his worn clothes. [Jonathan LP: (2300 - 1300)] He clutched his chest, grabbing onto a nearby bar with another hand. On the other side, a wave of fire crashed over Josh, drowning him in the intense heat. [Josh LP: (2100 - 1600)] He cocked his head upwards, resurfacing as the flames died out.

Both players panted heavily, each glared at the other on the opposite side. Jonathan recomposed himself, and Josh adjusted Dave's hat on his head.

"Not bad, kid." Jonathan sighed, transformed it to anger. "But don't think a flashy spell is gonna turn things around."

Josh smiled. He had the lead now. And if he did his math right, Lava Golem would wipe out the rest of Jonathan's Life Points in two turns. All he had to do was survive one last turn, and he would win.

He would _actually_ win.

"I place a monster face-down and end my turn." He set his Blue-Winged Crown card onto his Duel Disk, kept his hand against the brown backing.

Just one more turn.

"Alright," Jonathan said, drawing. "And remember, with Solemn Wishes out, I gain 500 Life Points since I drew." [Jonathan LP: (1300 - 1800)]

Josh's heart stuttered. He _did_ forget about that card. And, now that he rapidly recalculated, he realized he needed to survive _two_ more turns, not one. He could do it.

He had to.

_Come on Josh. You got this._ Dave inhaled through his nose, held his breath.

_Believe Josh_, Grandpa thought.

Josh clutched his fist. _I can do this._

_It's all over_, Jonathan thought, staring at the card in his hand. _The second I discard this Volcanic Scattershot to activate Blaze Accelerator, he'll lose nearly all of his Life Points..._ He lifted up the rest of his hand – specifically the monster he drew last turn. _Then I'll offer my Lava Golem to summon Volcanic Hammerer, which'll wipe out the rest._

Jonathan extended his arm, grinning madly. "This game is mine!"

Josh tried to hide his fear, failed. Dave and Grandpa gasped.

"I activate Blaz– "

"Groooo…."

_Huh?_

Both players looked up at the groaning magma monster. It stood still; its animation froze and the lava once flowing down its body halted in place. Static rippled out of the monster, then the other holograms began to flicker as well.

Josh looked on in disbelief. "What's… going on?"

"His monster," Grandpa said, awestruck. "Its effect hasn't activated yet…"

"Groooa…."

Lava Golem's animation resumed – it lifted its arms, only to have them crash back onto the ground. The creature flickered and flashed, before it vaporized into nothing.

"CARD READ ERROR," Jonathan's Card Analyzer said. "DAMAGE CALCULATOR DISENGAGED." [Jonathan LP: (1800 - 0)]

"_NO!_" Jonathan squealed, flailing his arms around like a mad ape. "How could this happen? It must be a glitch!"

Josh, though grateful, couldn't help but stare at the defeated thief.

Rage burst out of Jonathan's eyes. "_You!_" He pulled out his gun again.

Josh reflexively jolted back.

"I will not be shown up by a rookie!" He tensed his hand, put pressure on the trigger.

"Jonathan," a voice said through a tiny speaker hidden in his ear. "That was me. I needed to get your attention."

Jonathan lowered the gun. A puzzled Josh sighed.

"Return to me now. I need you for the next phase of our plan."

Josh, keeping his gaze on Jonathan's gun, did his best to catch his breath.

Calmly, Jonathan put it away. "I'll get you next time." He pulled something out of his pocket, threw it onto the ground. Sparks shot upward, creating a veil of smoke.

"Wait!" Josh shouted, covering his eyes.

The smoke cleared; he was gone.

Dave ran to Josh's side, with Grandpa walking behind him.

"Are you okay?"

"Who cares about me?" Josh said, laughing. "We're alive – that's all that matters!"

Dave smiled, laughed too.

"Here, I think this is yours." Josh took off the hat, tossed it onto Dave's head.

"Thanks." The camouflage teenage quickly readjusted it.

"Josh!" Before Josh could even turn to look, Grandpa latched onto him. "You saved my shop!" He yelled tearfully. "How can I ever repay you?"

Josh tried to shake him off. "It's alrigh–"

"I know!" Grandpa jumped off. "You said you wanted to build a deck, right? So I'll give you a deck's worth of cards, for free!"

Josh nearly declined, when Dave intervened.

"That's sounds great." He nudged Josh.

Grandpa bowed, clapped his hands together. "Are there any specific kinds of cards you would like? I'll fetch them out right now. Just say the word!"

_Uh... _Josh put his hand on his chin. He may as well. Dave was gonna make him build one either way.

"I did like those FIRE cards," Josh finally said, looking between the two. "And I also like these bird cards I kept drawing." He took his deck out of his Duel Disk. "But I don't think there's any card in my deck that's strong enough to take on a huge monster like that Lava Golem, so I'm gonna need a card like that."

"You could base your deck around it, too." Dave said. "Just like how I use Black Luster Soldier."

"Yeah." Josh nodded. "Oh, that reminds me." He started looking through his deck. "While I was dueling that guy we noticed my deck didn't have a way to deal with Spells and Traps."

Grandpa nodded. "Right, you'll definitely need to cover them."

Josh sifted through his cards again, noticed his Monster Reborn card. That's when he remembered something else. Something Elisa had told him.

"And I also like cards that Special Summon monsters, especially from the Graveyard." He paused. "Is… that too much to ask?"

Grandpa smiled widely, clapped his hands again. "Of course not! I have just the card." He rushed back into the shop; the other two followed.

He led them back to the customer service desk, where he began throwing boxes of cards over his shoulder, nearly hitting Josh in the head a few times with them.

"Ah!" Grandpa shouted, lifted up a card from the wreckage. "Here it is." He turned around, sacredly handed it to him.

Josh took it with his fingertips, held it closer. It was a monster; a FIRE monster, too. The image itself depicted a phoenix majestically flapping its wings, with fire swirling from its head, wings and tail.

"Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys," he read aloud.

"Yep, it's a good card too," Grandpa stated. "It can summon itself from the Graveyard if it's destroyed by any means besides battle, and when it does – it wipes out all Spells and Traps on the field!"

"That's perfect!" Josh shouted, presenting the card to Dave. "Thanks Mr. Muto."

"No problem," the old man winked. "And call me Grandpa."

"Come on," Dave said, gesturing towards the pile of cards on the floor. "Let's start building that deck."

* * *

><p>Darkness cascaded down the tall steel doors as they slowly creaked open. Jonathan, the size of an ant compared to the doors, cautiously entered, alarmed by the slamming doors behind him. Shadows enveloped the room, and, though this did not surprise him, his heart rate quickened like the gradual beat of a drum.<p>

"Hello, Jonathan."

Jonathan approached the voice near the opposite wall. He could see the base of the throne, as well as the rigid outline of his master, but the rest of his features were obscured by the shade.

"Hello Master." He bowed.

The voice waited for Jonathan to face him before speaking. "I'm sure wondering why I cut off your little game."

"Yes." He clutched his fists. "I _had_ those cards in my hands, and there was no chance that that kid was gonna wi– "

"Relax, Jonny."

Jonathan suddenly looked up, loosened his grip.

"I called you here because I have a use for your skills. You're too important to fetch cards like an underling."

A grave expression crossed Jonathan's face. "You mentioned 'the next phase' is in motion?"

"Yes." Jonathan could vaguely see a glimmer in his master's eyes. "And I need your help, Jon."

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… … …

Internal Error:

Cannot Access Card Database.


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen**

"I summon Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys," Josh said, laying the holographic card down, "and thanks to my Spark of Life card, we both take 300 damage."

Dave wagged a finger. "Nope. Spark of Life only works when a FIRE monster is _Special _Summoned. You _Normal_ Summoned Nephthys, so nothing happens."

"Oh… right."

Josh bit his lip, scraping off a small piece of bread. Their cards took up most of the kitchen table, leaving just enough room for a cup and a plate of crumbs beside either deck. Josh scuffed his feet against the stone-tiled floor, tracing the outline its design with his big toe. His move, if it had been done correctly, would've been the first time he managed to effectively use a combo. But for now it was a silly mistake, having no impact on the course of the game.

"Anyway, I'll have it attack your face-down monster."

Dave flipped the lone horizontal card. "Obnoxious Celtic Guard, since Nephthys has more than 1900 ATK, it stays on the field."

Josh grumbled, though not out of discouragement. "Okay, your turn."

"Right," Dave lifted a card from his deck, then placed a Spell Card below his Obnoxious Celtic Guard. "I activate Black Luster Ritual, allowing me to send Obnoxious Celtic Guard and the Gearfried the Iron Knight in my hand to summon Black Luster Soldier."

Josh watched him move his cards to the discard pile, trying to calculate a counter-strategy. Dave replaced Obnoxious Celtic Guard with the blue-bordered card, then pointed to Josh's monster. "Black Luster Soldier attacks Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys."

Josh paused to examine the field. He looked to the two face-down cards he had before him, then to Dave's watchful eyes, then to his hand. After a few moments of hesitation, he fanned his cards together.

"I'm stuck."

Dave put down his cards and held out a hand to Josh. "Here, let me see."

Josh presented the cards, then flipped over all of the cards on the table. While Dave fumbled with them, Josh began to zone out.

Those dreams he'd been having the past few nights were starting to get to him. Especially the one where he saw Dave dueling in a circle of fire. All he could do was shout, but that never did anything.

He glanced back up at his friend, who was attentively analyzing the cards on the table. It was strange. He felt like they were still in danger even though they were clearly safe in their own kitchen. All that was left of yesterday's incident was the throbbing pain from his bruises, serving as proof that he was still alive.

As a reminder that he was still mortal.

"Here we go," Dave said; Josh returned his attention to the table. Dave touched a finger to two of the three cards Josh had face-down. One was a Spell Card, the other was a Trap. "First you activate this card to destroy your own Nephthys and gain some Life Points, then you activate this card to destroy my monsters and bring it back. Although you won't be able to attack with it next turn, you'll have destroyed my best monster and Spark of Life will inflict damage this time."

Josh scratched his head. "Uh, okay, I think I get it." He softly rested his knuckles against the table. "I dunno if I'm gonna remember that later, though."

Dave picked his cards up again. "Don't worry, this is a good combo. You could even activate it during your turn if your opponent has a lot of monsters out. Then, if you didn't Normal Summon yet, you can attack directly with that monster."

Josh pointed to Dave's hand. "But what if you destroy it with one of your Traps?"

Dave smiled, presenting the Mirror Force he had face-down. "Remember, if Nephthys is destroyed by a card effect, it'll come back anyway and destroy all Spell and Trap cards in the process. That's the key factor to the card, so just base your combos around that and you should be set."

For a moment, Josh thought he understood, but his bruises reminded him of something else. "Yeah, but I dunno if I'm gonna remember that if I end up in a situation against a thug like Jonathan again." He shrugged, collecting his cards together. Dave did the same. "I don't know how you were so calm against that psycho receptionist, especially when the entire cafeteria was staring at you like that."

"I wouldn't be so hard on yourself," Dave said. "You did really well considering that was your first real duel, and the fact that you didn't have a functioning deck yet."

"I guess." He looked toward the window, saw the curtains ripple in the wind. "But what if I freeze up again? We're talking about an entire stadium's worth of people while I only had two people watching. If that happens while I'm held at gunpoint…" Josh dropped his gaze. "I dunno if I can handle the pressure."

Dave handed Josh his Card Analyzer. "Well, you shouldn't need to worry about that. You're practicing with me and, once you learn how to use your deck properly, you should be able to handle any opponent that comes your way. Besides, you can always update your deck so it adapts to new situations. I mean, even though the tournament's over, I've made changes based on the opponents I've fought there."

Josh held the PDA weakly. "You know you're not the best at motivational speeches, right?"

Dave laughed, plopping his hat over his brown hair. "I know." He glanced at the clock hanging above the refrigerator. "Twenty to twelve. We should head to KaibaCorp now."

"Yeah," Josh slipped on his Duel Disk, tightening the strap as he got up.

Dave nodded. "Let's go."

* * *

><p>Kaiba glowered at the information flowing on his Card Analyzer. He stood in front of a glass wall; his reflection smeared by a glare streaking across it.<p>

_This doesn't make sense,_ Kaiba thought. _No matter how many times I run the numbers through, the duel still falls in his favor. Adam could've won, and yet for some reason he took a dive instead._

He snapped the deck-box section open; slid out a Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

_No one should be able to defeat the Blue-Eyes White Dragon except Yugi. That Dave kid only managed to do so because that bitchy psychopath decided to get her germs all over my cards._ He strained his hand; his fingers pressed harder against the cardboard. _He must have cheated somehow, that has to be it. There's no other explanation..._

"Seto."

Kaiba, awakened from his daydream, pocketed his Card Analyzer before his brother could notice it. "Mokuba, have the finalists arrived?"

"Not yet," Mokuba said, shaking his black mop of hair. "Dave just called and said that he and his friend will be here in a few minutes."

Kaiba's voice deepened. "And what about Adam?" He spat the name.

"I haven't heard from him." Mokuba, noticing his brother's apparent anger, stepped forward with sympathy. "I kinda hope he doesn't show. What about you?"

To Mokuba's mild confusion, Kaiba turned back to his reflection. The glare was still there.

"He better show."

"Right this way, gentleman."

A door opened; followed by the entry of the two college students. The first one, Dave, lifted his cap a bit by the rim, as if to get a better view, while the second one, Josh, stumbled behind, dragging his feet.

_So, the finalists are here._ Kaiba stared at the door, waiting. Instead it shut, to his disappointment.

"So this is Kaiba Corp," Josh said, unconsciously gripping his sweatshirt zipper.

"Enjoy the view while you can," Kaiba said with little enthusiasm. "Once the testing ends this will probably be the last time you set foot in this room." He turned his back to the wall, pulling his Card Analyzer out of his pocket. After clicking it into his Duel Disk, Kaiba glanced over his shoulder. "Got it?"

Josh gulped, nodded.

Kaiba looked away. "Good."

Unsure what to do next, Josh whispered to Dave, "And I thought Jonathan was violent."

Dave leaned closer to him, cupping his mouth. "At least Kaiba isn't trying to kill you."

_He thinks THAT'S violent?_ Kaiba thought, smirking. _He should have seen what I did to that security room._

In somber happiness, Kaiba sent his gazed down at his Duel Disk. He slid his finger across the top of his deck, swiping out the top three cards, revealing them to himself. Three Blue-Eyes White Dragons glimmered in a holographic light.

_If I ever see my dragons in the hands of another scumbag like that bitch receptionist, I'll send him through hell and back._ He slid the cards back to their rightful spot, in his deck. _Then no one will touch them aga–_

The sound of a turning doorknob broke his train of thought. Kaiba turned, looking past both guests, who also gazed in the same direction.

The door opened.

"Sorry I'm late," Adam said, closing the door behind him.

A moment of tension swept the room.

Josh looked from Dave, who seemed anxious to start the tests, to Kaiba, who, along with his brother, only glared at Adam. He followed their gaze, observing the silent man in gray and black. Strangely enough, Josh noticed, he wore the exact same clothes he wore yesterday.

_Then again, I don't exactly have the biggest wardrobe either._ He glanced down at his fiery red sweatshirt. His favorite sweatshirt. The one that became filthy from falling a thousand times during his duel yesterday.

"Alright," Mokuba said, breaking the silence. He walked over to the finalists, handing them three booster packs each. "We're gonna start the testing in a sec. But first, we have to go over the rules."

"Rules?" Dave asked, accepting his booster packs.

Mokuba nodded. "This testing isn't just going to be an ordinary duel. It's gonna be a Tag Duel – a dueling style that, until now, was only seen in unofficial play at best."

"Oh, I see." Dave started to open his packs, when Josh nudged him.

"Uh, Dave," Josh said. "What's a Tag Duel?"

"Exactly what it sounds like," he answered. "It's when two players duel as a team against two other players."

"That's right," Mobuka interjected. "But since Tag Duels were only done casually, no official rules were ever laid down. Until the president of Industrial Illusions –" Josh guessed that was the company that made the game "– decided to create cards specifically for Tag Duels only."

"Strange," Adam said, sifting through the new cards. "So these cards are only good when dueling with a partner, huh?"

"Yep." Mokuba nodded. "In a normal duel, they'd be totally worthless."

"So." Adam took out his deck, swapping some cards with the ones he just obtained. "You said there were new rules?"

"Oh, right." Mokuba coughed. "First, instead of starting out with 8000 Life Points, each player will have 4000 Life Points."

_Makes sense_, Josh thought. Then again, hardly anything about this game made sense.

"To make sure that no one scores a direct attack unfairly, everyone has to wait a full round before anyone can declare an attack. Other than that, it's basically a normal duel, just with more players to worry about. If you happen to lose, you're eliminated from the duel, but your partner will keep playing normally."

"So then it becomes two vs. one?" Dave asked. The challenge intrigued him.

"Yeah." Mokuba started motioning for the duelists to follow to a doorway nearby. "And, not only that, but every card your partner used is still accounted for. Field, Graveyard, banished cards – pretty much everything except for their hand and deck."

Adam grinned. "I like this so far."

Mokuba opened the door, allowing both duelists to enter. As they did, several overhead lights flashed on, illuminating a pale room with two triangular machines fused into the wall.

"You'll be dueling these two Duelbots to test the cards," Mokuba said. "Careful, 'cause they're pretty tough." He closed the door, leaving the two to quietly walk to their posts.

Mokuba returned to his brother, who stood next to a window looking into the large pale room. Josh walked to it, avoiding eye contact with the duo. He didn't feel comfortable around Kaiba. But then again, he didn't feel comfortable at all ever since he slammed his back.

The two machines whirred, powering on with an abrupt _thump_. Levers lifted them, driving them closer to their human opponents.

"INITIATE DUEL MODE. DRAW FIVE CARDS."

Dave swung his Duel Disk platform's together, slipping out a few cards from his deck and fanning them out in one motion. He looked at both of the Duelbots, watching the backs of ten cards flash along their screens. Then, he turned to Adam, who had already dug himself into his hand.

From the observation window, Kaiba and Mokuba watched them together, with Josh standing in opposite the corner. Mokuba stepped aside, pulled out a Card Analyzer which filled with flowing numbers.

"All duel functions are normal. Beta testing is going to begin. You guys ready?"

Josh saw both duelists nod from afar.

Mokuba walked closer to Kaiba, then pressed a button at the bottom of the windowsill. "Alright, here we go."

While Mokuba finished entering some final commands, Kaiba stared at both duelists intently. First, Dave; the duelist who found a weak point in Kaiba's deck, and took advantage of it so he could come out on top. Of course, that wouldn't have happened if Kaiba had dueled instead – the receptionist had gotten way too cocky.

Then, there was Adam. A punk who came out of nowhere. He breezed his way through the tournament, only to disappear once a crisis broke out. Kaiba glared at him. Adam brushed the red strand of hair away from his nose, then looked back at the computer terminals before him. For a brief second, Kaiba thought he saw a streak of sweat slip down the side of his face.

At that moment it hit him.

_Was he the cause?_

[Dave LP: (4000)] [Adam LP: (4000)]

Vs.

[CompA LP: (4000)] [CompB LP: (4000)]

"TURN START. DRAW CARD," the leftmost machine droned in a female voice. A sixth card flashed onto its screen, only for two to fade away almost immediately. "SET SPELL/TRAP CARD, THEN SUMMON MONSTER – TRUSTING SEATURTLE."

A cartoonish turtle-shell dropped from the ceiling, spinning as it fell. Then, the turtle gleefully slid its head and limbs out of its shell. (**1000**/100)

"TURN END."

Josh leaned his face against the window. _If the whole duel is this monotone I'm gonna go insane._ He darted his eyes toward the two brothers to find Kaiba staring at him. Suddenly self-conscience, Josh backed away from the window.

Even after Mokuba had returned his attention to the duel, Kaiba continued to stare at Josh, watching the college student rub his face. _Something's off about him, but what is it?_

On the duel floor, Adam stepped forward. "Alright, my draw."

With another card added to his collection, Adam withdrew into his hand, analyzing his options. Dave, figuring it would be a while before his turn started, decided to do the same.

His hand was excellent. Not only did he have both Black Luster Soldier and Black Luster Ritual, but also had Gearfried the Iron Knight and Obnoxious Celtic Guard; two monsters he could use for the Ritual Summon. Then, he could Normal Summon his final card – Black Luster Warrior – and Synchro Summon them together to get Black Luster General out on his first turn. And that wasn't even taking any new cards into consideration! Since no one was allowed to attack until a full round has been completed, he could use Black Luster General's destruction effect without any drawbacks. Maybe he could even give Adam an opportunity for a direct attack!

Dave smiled. _Nothing can ruin this._

At last, Adam called out, "I activate Card Destruction."

With a startled jerk, Dave turned to Adam, audibly expressing his displeasure. He looked to the Duelbots; both of their 'hand screens' emptied, then refilled themselves one by one. Overcome with disappointment, Dave reluctantly discarded what was probably the best hand he had ever drawn.

"I'll use Pot of Greed to draw two more cards, and then summon Fallen Hero Avian from my Graveyard." He held a hand up to the ceiling. "Rise!"

A gust of wind swirled around Adam, forming a small twister that guided a green streak of light out of his Duel Disk. The light transformed, and the humanoid monster gracefully hovered above, its shadow falling onto the tiny turtle. (**1000**/1000)

"Then I finish by playing one card face-down."

The card replicated itself by Adam's feet, and the computer ahead of Dave began beeping and buzzing.

"TURN START. DRAW CARD," a masculine, robotic voice said. "SUMMON TRUSTING DRAGON IN ATTACK POSITION."

In a small bundle of flames, a dragon with babyish-looking eyes rose. It unfolded its wings, happy to be alive. (**1700**/1200)

Josh allowed himself an innocent smile. _That thing's adorable. How could such a lifeless robot use such fun-filled cards._ With his peripheral vision, he could see Kaiba roll his eyes.

_That monster doesn't look too hard to beat. Adam should be able to take care of it before I get my second turn._ Dave looked to the Draining Shield in his hand, then looked at Adam. _Still, I need to send a message to him. Maybe if I protect his cards he'll realize that we need to work together._

"EFFECT APPLIED – TRUSTING SEATURTLE."

"Huh?" Dave looked at the leftmost robot in confusion.

Adam remained unmoved.

"TRUSTING SEATURTLE GIVES 400 ATK AND DEF TO ALL MONSTERS PARTNER CONTROLS."

The tiny sea turtle, after hopping twice, released a flurry of bubbles out of its mouth, which drifted towards the second computer's field. Upon seeing the bubbles, Trusting Dragon reached for them with an outstretched claw, then cradled it in childish wonder. (**1700 - 2100**/1200 - 1600)

"SET TWO SPELL/TRAP CARDS. TURN END."

Dave frowned. While it hadn't grown that much stronger, it was still strong enough to be a threat. _I need to get a Black Luster Soldier out, then we can claim control._ With renewed determination, he drew. "I summon Black Luster Warrior!"

The youthful warrior leaped out of its card hologram, nearly dropping its sword in the process. (**1600**/1000)

He took out his Draining Shield, poised to play it. "I'll set one card face-down." He slid it in, then looked to his partner.

Adam waited patiently.

Dave turned back to his artificial opponents. "I end my turn."

"TURN START," the feminine robot rang out almost immediately, alarming Josh slightly. "DRAW CARD."

Josh recomposed himself. His shoulder still hurt. He touched it to ease the pain, but that only caused his eye to twitch.

Kaiba, suspicious of Josh's strange behavior, examined him again. His sweatshirt seemed dirty and he looked like he was about to fall over.

_That kid looks a little beat up,_ Kaiba thought. He remembered seeing him at the tournament; he was the kid who gave that cheesy friendship speech before Dave made his final move. But there was something different about him this time.

Then he saw the kid's Duel Disk – a tiny piece of the platform had chipped off, probably from scrapping against the ground. _He duels too. That's strange, he didn't have a Duel Disk when we were at the KaibaDome._ Trying to take his mind off him, Kaiba looked back through the window, where he saw the first Duelbot summon a cartoony warrior that looked like it came straight out of one of Pegasus's fairytales.

"TRUSTING SOLDIER ATTACKS FALLEN HERO AVAIN."

As it was told, the cartoon warrior rushed at the airborne hero, preparing to jump.

"No you don't!" Dave yelled, pressing a button. "I activate Draining Shield to negate your attack and heal my Life Points!"

Just as the warrior kicked off, a glowing blue shield materialized by Avian's feet, creating a forcefield around it. When the warrior swiped its sword at the barrier, sparkles flew off, which gently showered Dave's part of the room. [Dave LP: (4000 - 5500)]

Adam turned to Dave, nodded with somber appreciation.

Dave nodded back. _Looks like he got the message._

"ACTIVATE EFFECT OF TRUSTING DRAGON."

Both humans perked up, turned to the robot. The cartoon dragon flexed its wings, stretching its body with an adorable roar. It looked to the female-voiced robot, then triumphantly banged its claws against the ground.

Adam held his Duel Disk close. "What in the?"

"EACH TURN AN ATTACK MAY BE DECLARED BY TRUSTING DRAGON EVEN IF IT IS ON PARTNER'S SIDE OF FIELD."

Dave, shocked, watched the dragon angle its body as flames ignited in its mouth, then traced the attack's path with his eyes. At the other end, Adam gritted his teeth.

"TRUSTING DRAGON ATTACKS FALLEN HERO AVAIN."

Trusting Dragon flung its head back, swinging it forward to propel a fireball at Adam's monster. Avain brought its wings together to block, only to set its feathers ablaze, eventually searing its entire body before Adam's eyes.

Dave felt the warmth of the flames fluttering on his skin. _So that's the key to these 'Trusting' cards – they enable both players to use them regardless of who actually controls them._ He looked to each of his opponents' monsters, counted three. _So each turn we'll have to worry about twice the amount of monsters as usual._

"ACTIVATE QUICK-PLAY SPELL CARD – FOUL PLAY," the male robot droned; in response, a card rose behind the dragon. "WHEN ACTIVATED, BOTH OPPONENTS TAKE DAMAGE FROM ATTACK."

Adam and Dave simultaneously looked to each other, then to their Card Analyzers, where they saw their Life Points fall. [Dave LP: (5500 - 4400)] [Adam LP: (4000 - 2900)]

"TRUSTING SEATURTLE ATTACKS PLAYER ADAM PRINCE DIRECTLY."

Trusting Seaturtle withdrew into its shell with glee, and rammed straight into Adam's stomach. While the turtle rolled back to its post, Adam bent over, groaning. [Adam LP: (2900 - 1900)]

Kaiba smirked.

"SET ONE SPELL/TRAP CARD. END TURN."

_Dammit._ Dave glanced over his hand. _We need better tactics._

Adam slowly stood up straight, weakly clutching onto his deck. "I'm not gonna lose to a machine. My draw." He slid out a card, pointing to his face-down, which rose on cue. "I activate Fine, so I discard two cards." He held his Duel Disk parallel to his chest; a card shot out. "Rise – Fallen Hero Clayman!"

The metal floor gave way to a large, jagged boulder that shot out of the ground. Without warning, it burst open, and the bulky hero stood in its place, boldly holding up its fists as rubble rained down. (800/**2000**)

Kaiba grunted. _So the mighty Adam is on the defensive now. That figures. _He cast his gaze onto Dave, then on the monsters in front of both of them. _Even a cheater can't handle two opponents at once. And Dave, clearly, doesn't cheat. At least _he _has morals._ Kaiba stared at Adam as the duelist played another card down.

"Then I activate Result Scoreboard."

A green-bordered card rose, depicting a football stadium scoreboard with various numbers and lights dotted across it.

Adam stepped forward. "This card affects each of us depending on the number of Life Points we each have."

Dave intently observed the card as Adam explained. _Wait, each of us?_

Adam pointed to hologram. "The player in 'last' gains 3000 Life Points, the player in 'first' loses 1000 Life Points, and everyone else draws one card."

Soaking in this information, Dave looked to his Card Analyzer. His muscles tightened. _Wait a minute…!_

From above, a football plowed downward into Dave, sending a barrage of confetti flying in every direction. Dave clutched the rim of his hat to keep his composure steady. [Dave LP: (4400 - 3400)] Meanwhile, Adam held out his Duel Disk-equipped arm, allowing the colorful pieces of paper to shower it. [Adam LP: (1900 - 4900)] On the opposite side of the field, the two robots whirred, and the image of another brown-backed card appeared on their hand monitors.

The last of the confetti fell, and Adam, content with his move, put a hand near his hip. "Turn end."

Dave grumbled, glaring at Adam as he shook confetti off his clothes. _So much for teamwork…_

_What the hell was that?_ Josh thought. _It's like he didn't care that Dave took the hit._

_Not only that,_ Kaiba thought, also glaring at Adam, _but he gave his opponents an advantage by giving them an extra draw. That was a reckless and selfish move._

"TURN START! DRAW CARD!"

Just as the image of a new card appeared on the masculine robot, another immediately faded away.

"SUMMON TRUSTING ELF IN ATTACK POSITION."

A small elf cartwheeled into position; somehow its green hat stayed in place the entire time. (**900**/300) When the elf saw the bubbles overhead, it reached up and grabbed one, partaking in the same wonder the dragon had a turn earlier. (**900 - 1300**/300 - 700)

"NEW EFFECT IS APPLIED," the robot droned. "THE ATK AND DEF OF TRUSTING ELF INCREASES BY 200 FOR EACH 'TRUSTING' MONSTER ON THE FIELD."

The elf released the bubble from its grip, allowing it to drift around its comrades. They each eyed the bubble, watching it float past them, grinning as it encircled its owner. (**1300 - 2100**/700 - 1500)

Dave clenched his teeth. _Dammit. Now they have four monsters compared to our two. _

The elf then sent its gaze in Dave's direction, smirking at the young warrior in front of him.

"TRUSTING ELF ATTACKS BLACK LUSTER WARRIOR."

Trusting Elf tumbled towards Dave's monster at unrealistic speeds, leaving a trail of dust in its wake.

Black Luster Warrior lifted its sword, gripping it with both hands.

_Make that one._

"I activate my Trap!"

Dave, as well as the three onlookers, turned in awe as Adam's face-down card rose. They all thought the same thing.

_He's actually helping?_

"Negate Attack!"

Just as Black Luster Warrior lowered its sword to block, the elf miraculously tumbled into a warphole which spat it back out in the other direction. Unaware of this turn of events, the elf uncurled its body, and dizzily stood up. Dave sent a puzzled look to his partner. Adam answered with a cold smile, only to transform it into a frown seconds later. He returned his attention to the robot, whose voice boomed out as if nothing happened.

"TURN END."

"My draw." Dave couldn't help but wonder. Was Adam really willing to work as a team? Or, is he just keeping him in the game long enough to take them both down himself?

_Either way,_ he thought, already deciding what to play. _If we want to win we'll have to cover each other's weak points. Adam's good at deflecting blows, but he can't do this._ He placed a card onto his Duel Disk vertically.

A small boulder, reaching about Dave's waist in height, rose from the floor, serving as protection for the warrior that hopped down from the ceiling, falling into a crouching position. The warrior's helmet and armor each had Black Luster Soldier's signature colors, and its binoculars glittered under the room's lighting. (900/**500**)

"When my Black Luster Scout is summoned, two Black Luster Counters are placed on it."

The binocular's lenses shone, glowing with a dark-blue glare skimming across the glass. (Counters: 2)

"And, with its effect, I can remove one of them to check one of your Set cards. And I'll do this twice!"

The scout stood up slightly, still keeping most of its body out-of-view from its opponents' monsters. Taking its binoculars to its eyes, it gazed over at the opposite field, causing the dark-blue tint of the lenses to disappear.

On the far left, near the seaturtle, the binoculars exposed one of the face-down cards to be a Trap Card, featuring a warrior linked to a dragon by shackles and chains. On the other side, closest to the elf, a Spell Card was revealed, and Dave recognized the festive wok in its picture.

_Mystic Wok. That card shouldn't be a problem. But the other one… I've never seen that card before._ He checked his Card Analyzer to look it over.

"Card Analyzer activated… Searching for card data… Data Found:

**Chained Destiny**

[Trap]

Pay 700 Life Points. Select 2 monsters on the field. If one of those monsters is destroyed, destroy the other monster. This effect lasts until the End Phase of the turn it was activated."

_Chained Destiny._ He looked back to the brown card laying on CompA's field. _That card can easily take out any card we have. But, knowing computers, they'll probably activate it immediately, so I better spring the trap before it can harm us later._

Dave tugged a card out of his hand, flipping it over. "I equip my Black Luster Warrior with Black Luster Sword!"

As Black Luster Warrior's sword dematerialized, a new sword formed itself around its fingertips. It cradled the blue handle in its hand, and the five gems lit up. (Counters: 5); (**1600 - 2600**/1000)

Dave observed each of the four cartoon monsters carefully before speaking again. _Just in case they don't activate it, I better take down the strongest monster they have._

He looked over both of the first robot's monsters, but realized that they were too weak to be any threat. Then, he looked to the dragon and the elf. He had to pick one of them.

_Let's see. If I attack Trusting Elf, I'll be able to get rid of a monster whose power can potentially increase by 2000, assuming they somehow flood the field with Trusting cards._ He bit his lip. _But then again, that's very unlikely. Besides, if I take out Dragon, Elf's power will drop._

"Black Luster Warrior." The warrior, as if caught slacking, tightened its grip on its new sword and assumed a serious expression. "Destroy that Trusting Dragon!"

Grasping tightly onto its new blade, the warrior charged at the dragon, determined to slay its head.

"TRUSTING DRAGON EFFECT IS APPLIED."

Dave broke out in a cold sweat. _I forgot about its second effect! How could I be so stupid!_

"TRUSTING DRAGON ENABLES ITS CONTROLLER TO ACTIVATE SET SPELL/TRAP CARDS CONTROLLED BY PARTNER. ACTIVATE CHAINED DESTINY!"

"ACTIVATE OTHER FACE-DOWN CARD," the feminine robot droned. "FRIENDLY LOAN. WHEN PARTNER ACTIVATES A CARD THAT REQUIRES A COST, FRIENDLY LOAN'S CONTROLLER CAN PAY IT INSTEAD." The robot paused. "700 LIFE POINTS PAID FOR COST." [CompA LP: (4000 - 3300)]

"CHAINED DESTINY TARGETS TWO MONSTERS ON FIELD. IF ONE IS DESTROYED, THE OTHER IS DESTROYED."

Two streaks of chains shot out, one end wrapping around Black Luster Warrior's ankle. The other end, to Dave's surprise, ensnared the feminine robot's Trusting Soldier. When the chains finished binding each monster, the center piece flung out, revealing that they were attached by one long chain.

Black Luster Warrior continued its assault, hurling its sword through the air, swinging it at the dragon's wing. Although it sliced straight through, the dragon appeared unaffected by the hit. [CompB LP: (4000 - 3500)]

"What in the," Josh whispered. He twitched a bit when he remembered the pain in his shoulder, and rolled it back to stretch.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kaiba saw him squirm uncomfortably, but immediately turned back to the duel. _That kid is hiding something._

"ACTIVATE TRUSTING SOLDIER'S EFFECT."

Dave's eyes widened. Adam coughed, which reflexively caused Dave to turn to him.

_Adam… knew this would happen?_

"WHEN A 'TRUSTING' MONSTER WOULD BE DESTROYED, TRUSTING SOLDIER DESTROYS ITSELF INSTEAD."

In a prideful manner, Trusting Soldier dove in front of Trusting Dragon as Black Luster Warrior swung its blade. Trusting Dragon gasped once it saw its ally fall, clanking against the ground with a theatrical scream. [CompB LP: (4000 - 3500)]

Trusting Elf, saddened by the loss of its friend, shed a tear. (**2100 - 1900**/1500 - 1300)

Dave glowered at the elf. _At least something was accomplished._ A face-down card appeared behind his Scout. "I end my turn."

"TURN START. DRAW CARD."

Josh grunted. _Okay, I'm sick of the monotone voices already!_

"SUMMON TRUSTING PETBIRD IN DEFENSE POSITION."

A birdcage comedically crashed onto the floor, causing the tiny yellow bird inside to flutter around, panic-stricken. To prevent itself from getting hit by the bars, the bird perched on the tiny swing near the roof of the cage. (1000/**400**)

Seeing the bird struggle made Trusting Elf chuckle. It wiped away its tears, strengthened by joy. (**1900 - 2100**/1300 - 1500)

"TRUSTING ELF CAN DECLARE ATTACK EVEN WHILE ON PARTNER'S FIELD."

The elf stepped up; Dave frowned. _I can't let it destroy any of our cards._ He put a finger on his face-down card, closed his eyes.

"TRUSTING ELF ATTACKS FALLEN HERO CLAYMAN."

Adam grinned. "Clayman's effe–"

"I activate my face-down card!" Dave yelled. "No Entry!"

Adam, confused, watched a parade of police officers march out of the Trap Card, creating a blockade between the elf and his Fallen Hero. They appeared to chastise each of the cartoon animals, forcing them to kneel before they stormed back where they came from.

_A little unnecessary, since Adam's monster could've stopped the attack by itself._ _But then again, it did save Adam a monster he might need later. That, _Kaiba smirked, _and it took a much-deserved blow at his ego._

"SET ONE SPELL/TRAP CARD. TURN END."

Adam lightly slid out a card from his deck. "My turn, then," he said quietly. He took a second to look at his drawn card, then threw it down. "I activate Double Grave Ceremony."

Two tombstones, one on each side of Adam, burst out of the ground, slowing rising as rubble rolled off them. They came to a halt, and Adam held his Duel Disk over his head.

"This allows me to summon an extra 'Fallen' monster each turn. So rise – Fallen Hero Avian!"

A small twister swirled from the red slot, and the winged hero spiraled out, extending its wings as it landed. (**1000**/1000)

"Now," Adam kept his arm up as he spoke. He eyed the rugged monster with intent. "I'll sacrifice my Fallen Hero Clayman to summon the Fallen Flame Swordsman!"

Clayman stood up, pumping its fists, which somehow caused it to light on fire. In its place, the red horn-helmeted warrior appeared, channeling the remaining flames into the tip of its sword. (**1800**/1600)

"I've been saving this card for a while." Adam lowered his arm; its shadow slipped off his face, onto his torso. "Time for a Synchro Summon."

_Right,_ Dave thought, eying Avian. _That monster's a Tuner. So a Level Three Tuner with a Level Five non-Tuner… _He recalled Adam's last duel, where he summoned Fallen Red-Eyes Black Dragon.

_Wait a minute. _He turned to Adam, who solemnly stared at his two monsters.

Kaiba crossed his arms with interest. _Last time he summoned a Level Seven monster, but this time he has the materials for a Level Eight._

Josh stepped closer to the glass, resting his hand on the windowsill. _What's he summoning?_

"I tune my two Fallen monsters in order to summon the most powerful creature in my deck, stronger than any other." He turned his gaze, aiming it to his right.

At first, Dave thought he was staring at him, but then he realized that he wasn't – he was staring at the wall, through the window.

At Kaiba.

Kaiba glared back at Adam's eyes, annoyed anger building with each passing second. He was about to yell over the intercom to continue when Adam looked away.

Avain kicked off the ground, gently hovering over Fallen Flame Swordsman as light as a feather. Slowly descending, Avain converted into three pale rings, which surrounded the swordsman in a transparent cylinder. For a moment nothing happened, but then the swordsman's body turned blue, and its form changed to five bright stars. A beam of light shot up and struck the ceiling, resulting in the formation of dozens of storm clouds. For a brief second, Dave could've sworn he saw static charge across the skyline.

Josh looked to each person in a jagged, confused pattern. Adam, Kaiba, Mokuba, Dave – all who kept their gazes transfixed on the swirling blue clouds above. Dave's clothes rippled with the dark wind; he held his hat to prevent it from being blown away.

A muffled roar could be heard, slowly becoming louder as the clouds separated. A hole opened up in the sky, and a blue streak of lightning shot down with another ear-splitting growl.

"Synchro Summon!" Adam held out his arms to the heavens. "Fallen Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

"_What the hell!_" Kaiba uncrossed his arms, slamming both hands onto the windowsill, causing it to bend slightly. "How is that possible!?"

Mokuba tried to speak to him, but Kaiba didn't respond.

Josh's heart pounded against his chest – any pain he felt before could not compare to the shock he felt now. Kaiba glared the clouds, cursing at them with his eyes. Mokuba, tugging on his brother's arm, continued to stare at that same spot.

Dave, through the lightning and wind, saw the terrifying blue creature floating in a majestic aura, and, at that moment, he knew it was true.

The Fallen Blue-Eyes White Dragon was real.

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… Data Found:

**Black Luster Scout**

[Dark]

[Warrior/Effect]

(900/500)

When this card is summoned, place 2 Black Luster Counters on this card(max.10). By removing 1 Black Luster Counter, look at one face-down card on your opponent's side of the field and return it to its original position (effects are not activated as this time). By removing 2 Black Luster Counters, pick up the top card on your opponent's deck, look at it, and return it to its original position. Your opponent cannot look at the card.

**Friendly Loan**

[Trap]

Activate during a Tag Duel when your partner is about to pay a cost. You pay that cost instead. Then, draw 1 card.

**Trusting Soldier**

[Earth]

[Warrior/Effect]

(1500/1000)

During a Tag Duel, this monster can be used for battle by both its controller and their partner. Also, if a monster on your partner's side of field would be destroyed, you may destroy this card instead. During a Normal Duel, this card is treated as a Normal Monster and the previous effects are ignored.


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter Fifteen**

The swirling clouds dispersed gradually, seemingly blending into the ceiling as the newly summoned dragon descended. Its great size cast a shadow over its master, Adam, as well as Dave, who stood next to him alongside his Black Luster Scout (900/**500**). The scout lightly grasped the rock it hid behind, dropping its jaw upon seeing the great winged beast.

Josh couldn't believe his eyes. No one could. Even though he and the Kaiba brothers were safely behind the observation window, they couldn't escape the terrifying roar the powerful dragon emitted. If its two opponents weren't robots, they probably would've cowered away.

As the winds died down, Dave regained his composure. "Is… that really…"

A subtle grin passed over Adam's jawline. "Yes." He looked up, relishing the moment. "The Fallen Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" (**3000**/2500)

Kaiba slammed his hands against the windowsill, causing it to dent slightly. Mokuba tried to restrain him, but his brother's rage intensified.

"Who the hell does that bastard think he is?" Kaiba growled. "Summoning a cheap Blue-Eyes rip-off in my presence!" He thrust his shoulder, knocking Mokuba's hand away in the process. "Get him outta here! This scumbag overstayed his welcome a long time ago."

Mokuba sighed. "We can't Seto." He waited a moment for his brother to respond. Kaiba did so by exhaling heavily through his nose. "We promised Pegasus that we'd finish testing his cards, and we haven't gathered enough data to give a decent report."

"Fine." Kaiba turned to Josh (who had been silently cowering in the corner since Kaiba began his outburst), eying him with scorn, then tossed his hateful gaze through the window, at Adam.

_Speaking of Pegasus,_ Mokuba thought. _Why would he make a new Blue-Eyes monster without even telling Seto? He knows how he feels about them, so why keep it a secret?_

Dave watched the dragon hover over its owner, fanning its wings as if to protect him. It growled at the Duelbots scornfully. Despite the dramatic emphasis, Adam gave no indication that he noticed others' reactions. Instead, he kept his cold gaze on his opponents, pointing to a now-risen Trap Card before him.

"Go, Ring of Destruction. Destroy the Fallen Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

"What!" Kaiba shouted, with the same surge of rage as before. Everyone shared similar reactions, watching the tire form around the dragon's neck with the same awe. The tire ignited, and exploded before Dave could even process what had happened, covering the entire room in a veil of smoke.

[Dave LP: (3400 - 400)] [Adam LP: (4900 - 1900)]

Vs.

[CompA LP: (3300 - 300)] [CompB: (3500 - 500)]

Josh's eyes searched the room, trying to find any sign of the players. At last, Dave's faint silhouette made its way into view, slowly followed by his robotic opponents.

Kaiba and Mokuba watched in wonder, waiting patiently for the remained of the smoke to clear. As expected, Adam reemerged, unchanged by the blast. But that's not what caught their attention – as the final wisp vaporized, the dragon flexed its wings, ridding itself of the destroyed tire. It descended, shielding its master once again.

"That can't be," Josh whispered. Mokuba nodded in agreement.

Adam, seemingly aware of their question, answered. "Thanks to Fallen Blue-Eyes' special ability, it can't be destroyed by card effects."

Dave raised an eyebrow. "But if that's the case then our Life Points shouldn't have gone down." He presented his Duel Disk in annoyed manner.

Adam didn't even look. "Fallen Blue-Eyes acts as if it were destroyed, but doesn't leave the field as a result."

Dave let out a huff. _Selfish bastard, you just took a huge piece of my Life Points away. All for a flashy play!_

"Now, Blue-Eyes, attack their Trusting Dragon!"

Kaiba glowered at Adam. _No one commands a Blue-Eyes except me!_

The Fallen Blue-Eyes spat out a blast of energy. Waves of pale blue light rippled its way across the air, building momentum until it obliterated the unsuspected dragon.

"ACTIVATE TRAP CARD," the female robot yelled. "ENCHANTED JAVELIN INCREASES LIFE POINTS BY ATTACKING MONSTER'S ATK." [CompA LP: (300 - 3300)]

"ACTIVATE QUICK-PLAY SPELL CARD," its male counterpart said. "MYSTIC WOK TRIBUTES TRUSTING ELF TO INCREASE LIFE POINTS BY ATK VALUE."

A bowl of soup materialized over the elf, boiling it to bits. [CompB LP: (500 - 2600)] The bowl simultaneously deteriorated with the beam pouring over it. Within seconds, nothing remained except a large black stain on the floor.

_Dammit,_ Dave thought. _Both of our opponents recovered more than half of their original Life Points within one turn._ He glared at the '400' that lit up his meter. _Meanwhile, I'm struggling just to stay in the game._

"To finish things off, I'll activate Hand Unity, which lets both me and Dave use cards in each other's hands."

Dave rolled his eyes. Holographic cards emitted out of his Card Analyzer, showing the cards in Adam's hand. And vice versa.

"With that, my turn ends."

_About time._ Mokuba looked up at his brother, who kept his stiff stance since the smoke cleared.

"TURN START. DRAW CARD."

Josh uneasily gritted his teeth. _This is getting a bit too tense._ He fumbled with his sweatshirt zipper to calm himself. _If everyone keeps getting angry at each other like this, losing a duel is gonna be the least of their worries._

"SUMMON TRUSTING CHANTER."

From the ashes, a mystical man rose, gleefully dancing off the dust and tipping its tophat out of respect. Trusting Seaturtle's bubbles made their way towards it, which the chanter scooped up under its cap. (1300 - 1700/**900 - 1300**)

"SET ONE FACE-DOWN SPELL/TRAP CARD. TURN END."

_Back to me._ Dave drew indignantly. _Perfect._ He looked upward at the dragon towering over the other monsters, demanding respect from them. _If he's gonna be greedy about this duel, then I'll_ make _him share._

"I activate Trusted Ally." The Fallen Blue-Eyes White Dragon rose slightly, drifting away from Adam and in between himself and Dave, much to Adam's surprise. Dave gave a satisfied smirk. "With this, either one of us can use Fallen Blue-Eyes." Without looking away, he played another card.

Black Luster Guard took its position beside Black Luster Scout, lifting its rectangular shield defensively. (200/**1800**) The shield's four gems lit up, and almost immediately three of them went out. Instead, the three orbs of light floated beside the duo of monsters, creating three more replicas of Black Luster Guard, leaving just one gem glowing on the original's shield. (200/**1800**) [x3]

Dave looked at the tiny card holograms hovering below him. He pressed one of them, and the same card lit up in Adam's hand.

Adam considered this, then nodded in apparent reluctance.

_Good,_ Dave thought at the notion. He turned to his robotic opponents. "I switch my Black Luster Scout to Attack Mode and then activate Creature Swap!"

Adam slid the card in his Duel Disk.

Dave continued; the card rose on his own side of the field. "With this, I'll give you my Black Luster Scout in exchange for any monster you have."

The two computers whirred. Each of them replaced their hand screens with loading bars and droned, "PROCESSING OPTIONS…"

Josh rolled his eyes. _I hate these kinds of machines. Why can't they be like those giant fighting robots you see in those cartoons? Those things were cool at least. I remember one them had arrows tha–_

"PROCESS COMPLETE," CompA said. "CHANGING CONTROL OF TRUSTING SEATURTLE."

Small whirlpools gathered underneath the two monsters, sucking them up, only to spit them out in opposite locations. Without the turtle to generate the bubbles, they all popped, leaving the young Trusting Chanter alone to pout. (1700 - 1300/**1300 - 900**)

"And since Trusting Seaturtle is under _my_ control now, Adam's Fallen Blue-Eyes White Dragon gains its benefit!"

"ACTIVATE TRAP CARD – DISTRUSTFUL INTENTIONS!" The designated card showed a Trusting Chanter monster crossing its two fingers behind its back. "WHEN OPPONENT CONTROLS A TRUSTING MONSTER, THIS UNIT CAN TRIBUTE ONE MONSTER TO NEGATE THAT MONSTER'S EFFECTS."

The chanter clapped its hands together and began to mumble an incantation. Before long, the chanter and the seaturtle became enveloped in the same red aura, draining the turtle of all of its strength. Unable to handle the strain of the spell, Trusting Chanter fell over with a hint of vengeance in its smirk.

Dave shut his mouth indifferently. "No matter, Fallen Blue-Eyes White Dragon."

The dragon perked its head up. Adam sent his gaze downcast, away from Kaiba.

"Attack Black Luster Scout! White Lightning Attack!"

A low growl emitted from the dragon as it opened its mouth, gathering energy in a swirling sphere. Rearing its head back slightly, the dragon swung its neck forward, propelling the blast at the kneeling scout. It exploded in blue flames before it could even react.

Josh watched as the light glared the window in front of him. _Nice shot. That took a huge chunk of that robot's Life Points too._

Once the smoke cleared, a Trap Card appeared in place of the now-obliterated warrior.

"ACTIVATE TRAP – SHARED PAIN. ALL DAMAGE IS HALVED AND SHARED WITH PARTNER."

[Dave LP: (400)] [Adam LP: (1900)]

Vs.

[(CompA LP: 3300 - 2250)] [(CompB LP: 2600 - 1550)]

Dave adjusted his hat. "That's fine. My turn's over." He gazed up at the Blue-Eyes White Dragon standing over him.

Adam turned to his partner, a look of silent jealously smear across his face. Kaiba saw this brief expression, laughed at it internally.

_You don't deserve to wield a Blue-Eyes, Adam. _He tightened his grip on the windowsill. _Dave knows that._

"TURN START. DRAW CARD." The card appeared on the machine's monitor for a mere second before flashing away. "SUMMON LOVEY-DOVEY BOY IN ATTACK POSITION."

A young, chubby boy waddled onto the field, unaware of the tall and powerful monsters surrounding it. It wore its blue cap slightly to the side, and its shirt barely fit over its massive stomach. (**1200**/1000)

"SET THREE SPELL/TRAP CARDS FACE-DOWN. TURN END."

"My draw, then," Adam said. Glaring at the oblivious boy, he barked a command. "Fallen Blue-Eyes White Dragon, attack Lovey-Dovey Boy!"

The Blue-Eyes White Dragon charged up another energy blast, which was subsequently shot at the unsuspecting boy.

Kaiba frowned.

"ACTIVATE TRAP CARD, SHIFT."

Adam perked his eyebrows up.

Kaiba smirked. _That's what you get._

"CHANGING ATTACK TARGET TO TRUSTING PETBIRD TO AVOID DAMAGE."

As if it were on a conveyer belt, the bird cage slid in front of the young boy, which was incinerated on impact. Despite the charred feathers fluttering through the air, the boy gave no indication that he saw what happened.

"In that case…" Adam looked down at his hand, then, dissatisfied, he glanced at the tiny holograms hovering nearby.

_He may understand the concept of strategy, but without skill all of his moves go to waste._ Kaiba glanced at Dave, who was observing the field. _Dave shouldn't have lost against his joke of a duelist._

"Dave," Adam said. Dave reluctantly met his gaze. "Is it alright if I use this card?" He pointed to the leftmost card.

Dave swept his gaze at it. _Reinforcements? What the hell does he expect to do with that?_

"Sure, whatever."

"Alright," Adam said. "I'll set one card face-down and end my turn."

Dave slid it into his Duel Disk, and the face-down card appeared by Adam's feet.

Kaiba pulled his hands away from the window. _Hmph, figures a cheapstake would mooch off a superior duelist._

Josh winced slightly. He could tell Kaiba was still angered, but not exactly why. Besides, his shoulder hurt too much.

"TURN START. DRAW CARD."

Dave awaited the next threat patiently, yet eagerly. He was surprised, though, when it came from the other end of the field – the one that held Lovey-Dovey Boy.

"ACTIVATE TRAP CARD, PROPOSAL. ALLY ADDS ONE 'ENGAGEMENT RING' CARD TO HIS/HER HAND AND PROPOSAL EQUIPS TO LOVEY-DOVEY BOY."

A new card flashed onto the male-speaking computer's monitor.

"WHEN EQUIPPED TO LOVEY-DOVEY BOY," the female-speaking computer continued, "IT IS ALSO TREATED AS A LOVEY-DOVEY BOY MONSTER."

"SUMMON MONSTER – LOVEY-DOVEY GIRL IN ATTACK POSITION."

A young girl, equally as chubby as Lovey-Dovey Boy, waddled out of its card, tripping over the ground moments later. (**1000**/500) It sat up, rubbed its head, then saw the young boy standing on the opposite end of the room.

"EFFECTS APPLIED – LOVEY-DOVEY GIRL GAINS 500 ATK AND DEF FOR EACH LOVEY-DOVEY BOY ON FIELD. LOVEY-DOVEY BOY GAINS 500 ATK AND DEF FOR EACH LOVEY-DOVEY GIRL ON FIELD."

The two humanoid monsters gaped at each other; both of their jaws dropped immediately. Pinks hearts replaced their eyes as they gazed into the others', mesmerized by their attraction. Lovey-Dovey Girl nervously looked away, staring at the ground, face blushing beet-red. (**1000 - 2000**/500 - 1500) Meanwhile, Lovey-Dovey Boy did the same, only it managed to mask its infatuation better. (**1200 - 1700**/1000 - 1500)

Josh and Mokuba groaned.

"This is too weird," Mokuba said.

"Yeah," Josh said. _It's ironic that the most emotional monsters I've ever seen are being played by mindless robots._

"ACTIVATE EQUIP SPELL CARD," the machine droned. "ENGAGEMENT RING."

_Yep,_ _like I said, _Josh thought, watching the ring materialize in the young boy's hand. _Mindless robots._

Lovey-Dovey Boy approached Lovey-Dovey Girl, who seemed to shy away. The male monster took the female monster's hand, putting the ring onto her finger. Warmness felt between the two monsters was clear.

"WHILE EQUIPPED TO LOVEY-DOVEY GIRL, ENGAGEMENT RING IS TREATED AS AN ADDITIONAL LOVEY-DOVEY GIRL, FURTHER RAISING LOVEY-DOVEY BOY'S ATK AND DEF VALUES." (**1700 - 2200**/1500 - 2000) "ACTIVATE SPELL CARD, DOUBLE FUSION."

Lovey-Dovey Boy cradled its hand into Lovey-Dovey Girl's, as if it were promising to never let go.

_Could this be any cheesier?_ Dave thought.

"FUSING LOVEY-DOVEY GIRL WITH LOVEY-DOVEY GIRL, AND THEN FUSING LOVEY-DOVEY BOY WITH LOVEY-DOVEY BOY."

In a flash of light, both Lovey-Dovey monsters seemed to grow before everyone's eyes. They became taller, more mature, aging as the aura around them slowly faded. Lovey-Dovey Girl was dressed a wedding gown, her face veiled by a thin piece of fabric. (**2000**/1500) Lovey-Dovey Boy wore a tuxedo; the grin held had signified his commitment to the relationship. (**2200**/1700)

"LOVEY-DOVEY BRIDE AND LOVEY-DOVEY GROOM ARE REQUIRED FOR ACTIVATION OF NEXT SPELL CARD, WEDDING DAY." The cards in the machine's hand monitor vanished one by one. "BY DISCARDING HAND, THIS UNIT CAN BANISH BOTH LOVEY-DOVEY BRIDE AND LOVEY-DOVEY GROOM TO SPECIAL SUMMON LOVEY-DOVEY WIFE AND LOVEY-DOVEY HUSBAND, RESPECTIVELY."

The duo became engulfed in light again, this time, instead of growing or aging, they simply wore normal clothes, the kind you would see on a casual day. Lovey-Dovey Wife held its husband's hand with confidence (**3000**/2500), while Lovey-Dovey Husband did the same with its wife (**3200**/2700).

_So we saw three stages of a relationship in about five seconds._ Josh laughed, remembering his high school friends. _That's a new record._

"LOVEY-DOVEY HUSBAND ATTACKS FALLEN BLUE-EYES WHITE DRAGON."

Prompted by its wife, the husband leapt up, intending to punch the dragon using the momentum from its fall. Preparing to counterattack, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon raised its head and opened its mouth, revealing its vicious fangs. Adam gritted his teeth.

_Hmph. Figures Adam can't protect his own monsters properly._ Kaiba crossed his arms.

"I activate my face-down card." Adam pressed a button, and the card Dave set down raised. "Reinforcements increases Fallen Blue-Eyes White Dragon's ATK by 500 for the rest of the round."

Kaiba grunted, slammed his fist against the windowsill again. Upon hitting it, the glass shook, causing Josh to look in his direction.

The Blue-Eyes White Dragon shot out a blast of pale-blue energy, thrusting its head forward to propel it faster. (**3000 - 3500**/2500) Lovey-Dovey Husband punched the beam; energy rippled around its fist, causing wavy streams to fly aimlessly off its knuckles. Realizing it wouldn't be able to fight through the stream of energy, Lovey-Dovey Husband pushed itself back, landing beside its wife, who promptly hugged it. [CompA LP: (2250 - 2100)] [CompB LP: (1150 - 1400)]

Josh spoke up. "Wait, why wasn't it destroyed?"

"LOVEY-DOVEY HUSBAND'S EFFECT: CANNOT BE DESTROYED BY BATTLE AS LONG AS LOVEY-DOVEY WIFE EXISTS ON FIELD."

_That figures_, Dave thought.

"LOVEY-DOVEY WIFE ATTACKS TRUSTING SEATURTLE."

With help from its husband, Lovey-Dovey Wife swung itself at the turtle sleeping on Dave's side of the field, startling it awake with its heel. As the wife leapt back, the turtle shattered with a squeal.

"TURN END."

Dave grabbed the rim of his hat, pulled it down slightly. "Alright then." He drew, flipping it over to see.

He smiled.

"Here we go," Dave said. Proudly, he thrust the drawn card at his opponents. "I activate Black Luster Ritual!"

The four guards kneeling before him ceremonially stood up, casting their shields aside, knowing there was no purpose for them now. They clapped their hands together, miraculously becoming enveloped in blue flames that quickly spread across Dave's entire corner of the room.

"Ritual Summon – Black Luster Soldier!"

Dave pointed a commanding finger forward, and, from the flames flailing behind him, the Black Luster Soldier flew out of hiding. It landed a few feet ahead of its master, its armor glimmering against the embers surrounding them. (**3000**/2500)

"There we go," Josh whispered to himself.

Taking a moment to observe the field, Dave relaxed his hand, brought it closer to his face. The computer closest to him had both Lovey-Dovey monsters on its side of the field, and the one near Adam had nothing. If he struck that one now, it would be down for the count, even with Shared Pain splitting the damage.

It was his time to shine.

Determinedly, Dave pointed at the defenseless Duelbot. "Black Luster Soldier, attack Duelbot Model A directly!"

Black Luster Soldier lifted its sword and shield, keeping them near its chest as it charged at the computer.

"ACTIVATE LOVEY-DOVEY HUSBAND'S EFFECT: WHEN BOTH LOVEY-DOVEY WIFE AND LOVEY-LOVEY HUSBAND EXIST ON FIELD, CONTROL OF EITHER MONSTER CAN BE EXCHANGED BETWEEN PARTNERS AT WILL."

Dave's eyes widened. "What!?"

Once Black Luster Soldier moved to stab the computer, Lovey-Dovey Husband jumped in the way, expertly striking at the soldier's wrist with its palm. The impact caused the soldier's grip to weaken, and the sword merely slipped out of its grasp. Seeing an opportunity, Lovey-Dovey Husband punched Black Luster Soldier square in the jaw, knocking it all the way into the back wall, where it shattered into thousands of blue fragments.

Dave stared back the shards, watching them rain onto the floor. [Dave LP: (400 - 200)] Without any cards out to protect him, Dave could only pray as he said, "I end my turn."

"TURN START," the computer droned, for what Dave knew would be the final time. "DRAW CARD."

He half expected another move to be made first, but instead, the husband crackled its knuckles as the computer's voice rang out again.

"LOVEY-DOVEY HUSBAND ATTACKS PLAYER DAVE LITENUR DIRECTLY."

The husband jumped up, flying high over Dave. Its figure obscured the lights overhead, causing its body to become overshadowed in darkness. But Dave could still see its eyes – the eyes that said "This is it."

Dave closed his own eyes, gritted his teeth.

"Go, Magical Arm Shield!"

In the nick of time, another figure flew in front of Dave, intercepting the attack and taking the blow for him. Neither he nor the monster attacking him knew what it was until Lovey-Dovey Husband's punch already crossed the monster's face.

Lovey-Dovey Wife screeched in pain, tears flowing out of its eyes as it was thrown onto the ground. Lovey-Dovey Husband ran over and grasped its hand, begging forgiveness, but it was too late. The damage had been done.

Dave stared back up at the device. He recognized from his duel with Peter – it takes an opponent's monster and has the attacking monster battle it instead. His eyes trailed the spring attached to the two plates, leading him back to its source.

Adam.

Dave gaped at him, almost thanked him, but Adam's voice cut him off.

"Since I used Magical Arm Shield to take control of that monster, I take the damage and Dave's Life Points remain unharmed." [Adam LP: (1900 - 1700)]

"ABSENCE OF LOVEY-DOVEY WIFE DETECTED. LOVEY-DOVEY HUSBAND'S ATK AND DEF VALUES BECOME HALF THEIR ORIGINAL VALUE." (**3200 - 1600**/3000 - 1500) "TURN END."

"Time to end this." Adam drew. "First I'll revive my Fallen Koumori Dragon!"

With a quick spark and burst, the purple dragon flared out of nowhere, dragging its claws against the ground. (**1500**/1200)

"With Double Grave Ceremony out, I'm able to summon another Fallen, so I'll offer my Koumori Dragon to bring out the Fallen Summoned Skull!"

Blue static trickled along the edges of the two tombstones, eventually sparking out and electrifying Fallen Koumori Dragon. The dragon's body deformed, regenerating into a boastful demon with a horned skull. (**2500**/1200) Its wings served as a conductor, absorbing the electricity into its muscular figure.

Adam opened a slot in the side of his Duel Disk. "Normally I'd be done summoning my Fallen cards, but with Fallen Nation I can summon a monster one more time." He slid the card in.

From behind the darkly-clothed teen, a flagpole rose out of the ground, marking the half-way point between the two tombstones. Then flag fluttered high above both the Fallen Blue-Eyes and the Fallen Summoned Skull, who appeared empowered by it even though neither monster acted any differently.

"Not only do I get an extra summon, my Fallen monsters also gain 500 ATK and DEF."

[Fallen Blue-Eyes White Dragon (**3000 - 3500**/2500 - 3000)]

[Fallen Summoned Skull (**2500 - 3000**/1200 - 1700)]

"It's about time I got to that summoning." Adam raised his arm. "Return to my side, Fallen Koumori Dragon!"

Another small flare burst off the ground, and the purple dragon roared beside the two taller monsters. It felt as the monster had never left. (**1500 - 2000**/1200 - 1700)

"And now that Lovey-Dovey Wife isn't there to power up Lovey-Dovey Husband, it's weak enough for Fallen Koumori Dragon to take it out!"

At that moment Dave realized Adam's thought process. He didn't activate Magical Arm Shield to protect him – he only did it to get an obstacle out of the way. He didn't care if Dave lost at all; it was just a tactical strategy to come out on top!

Dave tensely curled his fingers together. _How could I have been so stupid?_

"Koumori Dragon – attack!"

Despite the loud roar preceding the dragon's assault, Lovey-Dovey Husband continued to blankly gaze at the ground where its wife once laid. It didn't even react as its body became engulfed in flames, leaving no trace of it left behind. [CompA LP: (2100 - 1350)] [CompB LP: (1400 - 650)]

Josh erected his stance, observing the field. _Now the Duelbots have no monsters out._ He quickly turned to the two monsters at the opposite end of the room. _This is it._

Kaiba scratched his nails into the windowsill as Adam lifted a commanding hand.

"Fallen Summoned Skull–"

_ He might've won now,_ Kaiba thought,_ but he only did so by mooching off of Dave._

"Fallen Blue-Eyes White Dragon–"

_Even then, he only got this far because of his low-life ways. _He watched both monsters aim their attacks at the computers; one focused on each.

"Attack their Life Points directly!"

The dragon and demon unleashed an array of light; a pale energy beam trailed towards the center of the computers with three streaks of lightning spiraling around it. Dave, Josh and Mokuba squinted from its brightness.

_None of it matters, only a snot-nosed piece of scum could manage to turn such a powerful card into a worthless pile of trash._

Kaiba turned away. A bright flash poured into the room, forcing Mokuba and Josh to shield their eyes. While this happened, Kaiba took the Card Analyzer from Mokuba's hand, and looked to it.

Data Analysis 100% Complete.

_He serves no purpose to me now._

The lights dimmed.

[Dave LP: (200)] [Adam LP: (1700)]

Vs.

[CompA LP: (1350 - 0)] [CompB LP: (650 - 0)]

Dave rubbed his eyes. His sight still blurred from the blinding intensity of that attack. He could hear Adam walking towards the exit, heard a door shut, and it was only when Kaiba started screaming that he started to regain his sight.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" Kaiba grabbed Adam by the collar. Adam drooped his head, uninterested. "_I'm _the only one who's allowed use the Blue-Eyes White Dragon! Got that?" He threw Adam aside.

Adam stumbled a bit, banged into the wall. He failed to react, though, and simply dusted his shoulder instead.

Dave walked into the room now, joining Josh and Mokuba. They all stared at Adam, who approached Kaiba again.

Kaiba just glowered at him.

Adam slid his deck out, then started to sift through it. "Fine." With a sharp flick, Adam tossed a card Kaiba's way.

Reflexively, Kaiba snatched it inches from his face. By the time everyone realized what happened, Adam was already at the exit.

"See ya around."

The door shut, and every ounce of tension within the room faded.

Kaiba brought the card to eye level, hatred searing through his stare. It took a few raced heartbeats before he noticed the others again.

He addressed Dave and Josh somberly. "I think you've overstayed your welcome."

The two nodded sincerely, quietly heading for the door. Once they left, Mokuba hurried to his brother's side.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Kaiba held up the card again. A Synchro Monster Card featuring a pale blue dragon.

_His_ blue dragon.

Wordlessly, Kaiba walked back to the window, peering into the testing room. Now the room was unused, the overhead lights shut off, preventing from gazing further into it. Although, the darkness was not what he was looking for.

The glare on the window had returned.

Tapping his brother's arm, Mokuba motioned for the Card Analyzer. "We got the results we need?"

Silence answered him. Kaiba continued to gaze at the glare, thinking.

"Yes." He held up the Card Analyzer, placing the Synchro Monster, Fallen Blue-Eyes White Dragon, inside its compartment. "I think it's time I had a chat with Pegasus."

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… Data Found:

**Fallen Blue-Eyes White Dragon**

[Light]

Level 8

[Dragon/Synchro/Tuner]

(3000/2500)

1 Tuner monster + 1 or more "Fallen" monsters

Synchro Material Monsters used to Synchro Summon this card are removed from play. This card can Special Summon itself from the Graveyard after it is Synchro Summoned by offering 2 monsters on your side of the field as a Tribute. You can only Special Summon 1 "Fallen" monster this way per turn. If a non-"Fallen" monster exists in your Graveyard, you may not Special Summon this card this way. This card's name is also treated as "Blue-Eyes White Dragon". This card can only be destroyed as a result of battle. However, card effects can continue as if this card was destroyed.

**Result Scoreboard**

[Spell]

Activate this card only in a Tag Duel when at least 1 player has a different amount of Life Points than the others. The player(s) with the lowest Life Points gains 3000 Life Points. The player(s) with the highest Life Points lose 1000 Life Points. All remaining players draw 1 card.

**Shared Pain**

[Trap/Continuous]

This card can only be activated during a Tag Duel. When you or your partner takes damage, you can activate this card's effect to have both you and your partner take half the damage each instead.

_[Credit to darthvader5666 on Pojo for the creation of this card]_


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Chapter Sixteen**

Air stood still outside Kaiba Corp, indicated by the motionless clouds that sat comfortably in the sky. The noon light started to shift as the hour progressed, casting a subtle shadow onto the city below. The roofs of the towers remained untouched by the creeping darkness, though some were taller than others, and a few of the smaller buildings couldn't escape the dominance of those above it. Kaiba Corp Tower stood tallest, leaving only its base affected by the shade.

On the ground floor, few people stood near Kaiba Corp Tower, though the occasional person did walk past on the way to the center of town. The traffic, although still in view, kept its flow away from the building, leaving it alone to observe those around it. Lunch break had just ended, and many of Kaiba Corps employees were now returning to work. As one of them entered, Dave barged through the double-doors leading outside; Josh followed soon after.

"Well, I don't really see what the big deal was," Josh said, chasing Dave down the short set of stairs. "So Adam summoned a monster Kaiba owns, how is that something to get angry about?"

"It wasn't _just_ that." Dave spat, without turning to look at him. He tensed his shoulders, clutched a fist. "He was so arrogant! You saw how he played out there – he didn't care if I lost at all! He just wanted to be a show-off like he did at the arena."

Josh took a gentle step closer. "Look Dav–"

"I'll see ya later, Josh," Dave said with a wave. He dismissively swept his arm to the side, grumbling to himself as he walked away.

Josh stood still for a moment, watching him leave. He still couldn't figure out what was wrong. Sure, Adam _did_ act rudely to Kaiba on his way out, but Kaiba wasn't exactly the friendliest person he ever met. Josh lifted his hood over his hair, casting a shadow over his forehead. The sun loomed over the city streets, overseeing all of its activities. It gave Josh a sense of heavenly guidance, and, yet, he still felt uneasy…

"So, I guess I'm not exactly mister popular."

Alarmed, Josh defensively spun around to see Adam leaning against a building, with arms crossed. Josh blinked. He didn't know what to say.

Adam nodded in acknowledgement; the strand of red hair fluttered against his nose.

"Don't worry about it. I got used to it, anyway." He pushed himself off the wall, scraped some dirt off his shoulder.

Josh looked at Adam's Duel Disk while he did this, focusing on his Card Analyzer. On its screen, he saw the image of an old-fashioned lock. He looked to his own Card Analyzer, and saw no such image, only his own name and a picture of Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys in the center. Some cards _are_ expensive, that was true, but why would he feel the need to secure his deck while it was attached to his arm?

"Adam," Josh said aloud, slowing trailing his eyes back to him. "Dave was angry because he thought you were being selfish and arrogant in your playing. Kaiba, as far as I know, is always like that, so I'd take it with a grain of salt–"

"Another grain of salt," Adam muttered. He sighed. "Add that to the mountain already there."

Josh paused.

Adam looked back toward Kaiba Corp Tower; subconsciously, Josh did the same. The tall building gave a sense of authority over the others, as if it were a king scolding his servants.

"I know my place in the world, there's no reason for me to change it. I don't care if anyone likes me. That's not why I'm here."

Adam hung his head subtly. Josh ventured.

"Then… why are you here, Adam?"

Adam didn't move. He just stood there, motionlessly, like a statue that been molded in place.

Finally, he turned; shy determination flashed in his pupils.

"Let's duel."

"What?"

Adam held up his arm, swinging his Duel Disk with him.

"Let's duel. You have a deck now, so you're a duelist. A duelist duels."

Where was he going with this?

"But I've only _really_ dueled once in my life." Josh peered at his Disk in shame. "There's no way my deck can take on your Fallen monsters. They're too strong."

"No, they're not." Adam pressed a button, his deck ejected out. He caught it in his free hand. "They're only strong because I make them strong."

Adam approached him silently, taking quiet steps, matching the tempo of Josh's heartbeat. To Josh's surprise, Adam held out the deck to him.

"Take it."

In a baffled gesture, Josh straightened his neck. He must have misheard.

"Uh, what?"

"Take it." Adam shoved the deck into his chest. "You want to duel with a 'strong' deck? Then I'll duel with your 'weak' deck."

That's all he wanted? What a strange offer – though, Josh could tell he wanted to prove something.

"O-okay."

Josh sheepishly accepted the deck, before ejecting his own. Adam took it reverently, shuffling with care.

_Adam's never even seen my deck. How does he expect to win?_

Josh slid Adam's deck into his Card Analyzer, then pressed the 'auto-shuffle' button. It was a weird feeling, using another's cards; it didn't seem right. But it was a request from someone who had helped him so much in the past.

What did he have to lose?

[Josh LP: (8000)] [Adam LP: (8000)]

"I'll go first," Adam said, picking up the top card of his – er, Josh's deck. His eyes swiftly read through each word written on Josh's cards, like they had instructions to defeat him.

_I should probably do that too,_ Josh thought, holding up the strangely shiny cards.

Although Adam had never seen Josh's deck, Josh couldn't say the same – he learned a few of Adam's strategies just from watching those duels during the tournament, and even just now during the testing. The main focus was to dump monsters into the Graveyard so he could revive them later. So, with this Card Destruction card he had, Josh remembered, he could toss the rest of his hand away so he could draw new cards. He'd hit two birds with one stone.

_Adam, I think you underestimated your own deck,_ Josh thought, glancing over the orange bordered cards.

"I activate Pot of Greed," Adam said. "This lets me draw two cards. Next I'll play Tremendous Fire."

"Huh?"

Just as Josh lifted his head, a wave of fire surged over him, temporarily flooding the street with the holographic flames. [Josh LP: (8000 - 7000)]

Adam, also struck by the flames, shooed them away by lifting another card from his hand. [Adam LP: (8000 - 7500)] The firestorm seemingly evaporated, leaving no trace that it ever occurred.

"Next I'll use this – A Feather of the Phoenix." A green bordered card materialized before him, featuring a glowing red feather. "With it, I discard a card to return another card from Graveyard back to the top of my deck."

He shoved a card into the red slot upside-down, causing Josh to wonder what he threw out. Almost instantly, Pot of Greed came back out, which Adam quietly put on top of the rest of his cards.

"Now, my final Spell Card – Spark of Life."

Josh watched in amazement as the card materialized. It featured an orange, newborn chick hatching from a golden egg, with Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys in the background, watching over it. He remembered that it was hard to use – a FIRE monster needed to be revived for it to work.

"And, now I end my turn."

Josh blinked. That was it? He only had one card out, and that card was useless by itself. Josh reached for his deck to draw, when the port from Adam's Graveyard started to glow.

"During the End Phase, Manticore of Darkness activates," Adam said emotionlessly. "Whenever it's sent to the Graveyard, I can discard any one of the three 'Beast'-typed monsters to Special Summon it."

Adam flipped over his chosen card – Josh's eyes nearly bugged out when he saw it.

"So I'll send the Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys!"

_What?_ Josh's jaw fell slightly ajar._ But that's the best card in my deck!_

Adam lifted his Duel Disk as a red beam shot out of it. "Rise – Manticore of Darkness!"

In a twister of fire, a bipedal beast slammed into the ground. Its muscular body and lion-like head intimidated Josh a bit, but he didn't realize how fearsome it looked until it spread its angelic blue wings and whipped its scorpion-like tail in his face. (**2300**/1000)

Josh gulped. _How could I forget about something like that!_

"Now, Spark of Life activates!"

The designated card took a reddish glow, which replicated itself around the Manticore in the form of an aura. Manticore of Darkness twirled around, shooting a swirl of fire at both players, who shielded themselves with their disks.

[Josh LP: (7000 - 6700)] [Adam LP: (7500 - 7200)]

Josh batted the remaining wisps away. "Okay, I take it back. Maybe my deck isn't as weak as I thought."

Adam smiled briefly.

"My draw." _Alright, so first I have to discard them_. "I activate Card Destruction!"

Without waiting for an explanation, Adam shoved his hand into the red-slot, only to replenish it soon after. Noticing this, Josh did the same, looking over the new Spell Cards he drew, without ever noticing the look of satisfaction of his opponent's face.

Adam's eyes shone with dark eagerness.

_Now to bring them back,_ Josh thought.

"I activate this!" A separate slot on Josh's Duel Disk folded open; he slapped the Field Spell Card down.

A flagpole drove its way out of the ground, rising until it was twice the size of both players.

"And, now, with Fallen Nation out, I can Special Summon _two_ Fallen monsters each turn!"

As two coffins soothingly seeped through the sidewalk, Adam apparently receded into his thoughts. He kept his attention on the flag fluttering overhead, blocking his view of the sun, denying him of the light that it gave.

He sighed again, reluctantly returning his attention to the holograms before him.

The coffins' tops burst open, where two monsters flung themselves out. Both of them were extremely familiar to Adam, since he used them all the time. In fact, they were the exact same monster – the Fallen Headless Knight. While one of them knelt (1450/**1700**), the other boastfully parried its sword at the opposing monster. (**1450**/1700)

"And, now, for some basic math," Josh said. Truthfully, this was the only part of the game he actually understood. "First, Fallen Nation gives my monsters 500 ATK and DEF each."

[Fallen Headless Knight (1) (1450 - 1950/**1700 - 2200**)]

[Fallen Headless Knight (2) (**1450 - 1950**/1700 - 2200)]

"Then," Josh held up his two index fingers, pointing one at each knight. "Fallen Headless Knight's effect kicks in. When it's in Attack Position, other Fallen monsters gains 400 DEF. And, while it's in Defense Position, Fallen monsters gain 400 ATK. So, basically, my two monsters power each other up."

[Fallen Headless Knight (1) (1950 - 2350/**2200 - 2600**)]

[Fallen Headless Knight (2) (**1950 - 2350**/2200 - 2600)]

Adam smiled. "That was a pretty advanced combo for someone who just started yesterday."

Josh grinned bashfully. "Well, I gotta start somewhere."

Adam nodded. "Continue."

"Right – Fallen Headless Knight! Attack!"

Holding its blade high, Fallen Headless Knight strode towards the winged-demon, its armor clanking against the ground with each heavy step. Manticore of Darkness evaded two slashes by jumping in the air, but a final slash caught its tail and leg, causing it to slam back onto the ground. Quickly seizing the opportunity, the knight pinned Manticore of Darkness down by its wings and impaled directly into its chest. [Adam LP: (7200 - 7150)]

"Alright!" Josh shouted, fist-pumping.

Adam smirked. "Good job. But don't think I'm done yet."

"Of course not," Josh said. "I end my tur–"

"Since it's your End Phase, Manticore of Darkness activates." Adam lifted a card out of his hand, presenting it to Josh. Once again, Josh's jaw dropped. "By sending another Manticore of Darkness to the Graveyard, I can revive the one you just destroyed!"

As soon as the Duel Disk sucked up Adam's card, flames shot out of the slot, spiraling father until the lion's head emerged. With a roar, the beast slashed the flames away, and slammed its claws against the concrete. (**2300**/1000) Manticore of Darkness stood back up, fire still searing at its claws. It looked good as new – as if it had never suffered a single wound.

After taking a second to process this, Josh smiled. "No problem, Fallen Headless Knight's strong enough to take it out."

"That's not what I was going for."

Before Josh could ask, the Spell Card behind Manticore of Darkness lit up, igniting a ring of fire around the bipedal beast.

Adam lifted his arm, point towards the sky in declaration. "Spark of Life activates!"

Manticore of Darkness spun around, twirling the fire with it, causing it to expand with each rotation. Both duelists were struck, and, just as before, Josh recoiled while Adam remained unmoved.

[Josh LP: (6700 - 6400)] [Adam LP: (7150 - 6850)]

Josh shook off the wisps covering his sweatshirt, which vaporized with the motion. "Ugh, yeah, I forgot about that. Oh well, I'll make sure I destroy it next tur–"

"And I activate the second Manticore of Darkness' effect," Adam said, ejecting the declared card from his Duel Disk. "Now I'll send the Manticore of Darkness on the field and replace it with the one in my Graveyard."

Josh nearly leapt back. "What!?"

"Go!"

Manticore of Darkness burst into flames; consuming Adam's entire side of the field before extinguishing, only for the same monster to reappear in its place. Then, the monster summoned a ring of fire, which it threw at both players.

Adam repeated this pattern continuously, shouting "again" with each round. It was only after the third round that Josh realized there was no hope left – the game had already been predetermined after just the first turn. All he could do was dodge the flames as they came at him; his Life Points dwindling with each blast.

[Josh LP: (0)] [Adam LP: (450)]

"And that's game," Adam said. The holograms disintegrated that same instant.

Josh had fallen to his knees, shaken from both amazement and disappointment. When Adam approached him, he stood up, taking out his opponent's deck. They then proceeded to trade them.

"I can't believe such a strong combo is in my deck," Josh said, staring at the stack of cards in his hand. It was as if he had never held it before in his life.

"Exactly." Adam slid his deck back into its proper slot.

Josh looked him in the eye. "I get it now. It's not the cards that win duels, it's the player."

"That's right," Adam said, turning his back to him. "Many people try to mimic stronger players by taking their ideas, but only the original owner of that deck can tap into it's true potential."

_It's true potential,_ Josh thought. He drew the top card, revealing his Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys. _Oh wait._

"Hey Adam," he said, catching Adam's attention as he started to walk away.

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering," Josh held up the card, "why did you toss this card away? It's easily one of the best cards in my deck."

Adam averted his gaze, sent it downcast; towards the cracked pavement beneath him. Then, he returned it to the path in front of him, away from Josh.

"I didn't see any use for it."

That answer surprised Josh.

"What do you mean?" He asked, stepping forward. At the same time, Adam started to leave again.

"I couldn't use it for what I wanted to do." Adam kept walking, but slowed his pace so Josh still stayed within earshot. "Even if a deck has one unified focus, it should always have back-up plans in case that focus fails. Otherwise, the entire deck becomes disabled."

Josh stopped following him. He absorbed the words, watching Adam drift away step by step.

Then, Adam stopped.

"Like I said, only the original owner can tap into a deck's true potential." He turned, eying Josh again. "Catch ya 'round." He waved goodbye, and continued towards the city.

Josh watched him disappear into a crowd in the distance, then stared back up at the Kaiba Corp building.

_I get it now._ Josh fanned out his deck, examining each individual card with new eyes. _This is my deck. If I want to ever become as good as Adam or Dave I need to stop complaining and start coming up with a style of my own._

His mind involuntarily flashed back to the tournament – specifically the duel in the cafeteria, where he had chased the receptionist across the room. Dave defeated her, and then Kaiba told him:

"_We both know that if this deck was in _my _hands that the duel would've ended differently."_

…and Dave agreed. Josh realized that _all_ real duelists must understand this concept, even if those exact words never crossed their minds. Only Adam could properly use the Fallen monsters, only Dave could use his Black Luster Soldiers, only Kaiba could use the Blue-Eyes White Dragons.

And only he could use the Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys.

* * *

><p>Inside Kaiba Corp's main office, Seto Kaiba sat behind his desk, flipping his laptop open. After connecting his Card Analyzer to the monitor with a wire and entering in a few commands, a load bar featuring a stupid dancing rabbit filled both screens. He leaned back in his chair, weaving his fingers together and propping up his head.<p>

_No one deserves to have a Blue-Eyes White Dragon except me._ Kaiba took the Card Analyzer off the desk, snapping open the compartment that contained his Extra Deck. A thin pile of about ten cards came out, which he fanned out in front of him. Nine purple bordered cards.

One silver.

A moment later the rabbit's dancing ceased, and it goofily shoved a picture frame at Kaiba. The frame outlined the edges of the screen, and Pegasus's long pale-blue hair soon covered its image.

"Why hello Kaiba-boy." Pegasus chuckled, raising his half-full wine glass. "I'm guessing the testing went without any troub–"

"What the hell is this!" Kaiba snatched up the silver card, shoving it at the monitor. "Why the hell would you create another Blue-Eyes White Dragon card without giving it directly to me?!"

Pegasus took a sip, then placed the glass off screen. "Now now Kaiba-boy, just because you are the self-proclaimed owner of the Blue-Eyes White Dragons doesn't mean you actually are." He brushed his hair over his shoulder, covering his left eye.

"That's not the point, Pegasus." Kaiba slammed his fist on the counter. "I've worked my entire life to get those cards, and knowing that scumbag duelist owns–"

"Relax. That Fallen Blue-Eyes White Dragon card is at such a high rarity that you'd have to be a billionaire to get your hands on it." Pegasus winked. "Too bad you're only a millionaire."

Kaiba growled.

"Besides, you have it now, so what difference does it make? What? I can't make any more Blue-Eyes card 'cause Kaiba-boy doesn't wanna share?"

The sound of Kaiba slamming his hands on the table made Pegasus flinch. A couple of cards he had laid out flew into the air. Kaiba stood up, unintentionally pushing his chair a few feet back. "If it means letting the power of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon get into the hands of a scumbag named Adam Prince then no! The fact that I didn't even _know_ about this card says more than enough!"

Pegasus took another sip to recover, then spoke with gentle words. "Hmm. Adam Prince, you say? I've had plenty of bidders for that card, but I can't say I've heard that name before."

Kaiba blinked, staring at his vein-lined hand. _Then… how?_

"If you're done with your little ragefest, it's time to get down to business." Pegasus glanced at something off screen. "Ah, looks like the Tag-Duel card results went well. I'll alert production immediately."

He turned to the side again, looking there for a few seconds, as if suspicious of eavesdroppers. Then, he leaned closer to the screen, whispering. "Now, about that hacker."

Kaiba lifted his eyes upward. Though his face remained hardened, his eyes were softened by curiosity. He turned to the fallen chain behind him, glancing at the half dozen cards lying on the ground. Pegasus's voice called him back to the computer.

"As you know, late last week an unknown networker hacked into our database, and my vacation was ruined." He flung some of his hair back; it gracefully fell onto his shoulder blade. "I mean, talk about inopportune timing. I was just starting to enjoy myself too." When he saw Kaiba roll his eyes, Pegasus recomposed himself. "Anyway, I had my team scan the systems immediately to try to kick it out."

Kaiba lifted the chair, returning its rightful place by the desk. He sat. "So, how far into the security did this 'hacker' manage to breech?

Pegasus had taken a sip of wine while Kaiba spoke. He set the glass down; the liquid within it danced along its edges, attempting to escape. "Pretty far. It was as if the security system never existed. We had to reinstall the whole thing, and then poof. Gone again."

A considering finger touched Kaiba's chin. "Were any secure files accessed or removed?"

"No, none." Pegasus flipped his hair again. "Surprisingly, files were _added_."

"Added?" Kaiba asked, intrigued.

"Yes, nothing was corrupted or damaged or anything. Just disabled. I can view them just fine, but any attempts to alter them are completely ineffective. As of right now, they've made no changes to any previously existing files." Pegasus angled himself away from the screen again. The sounds of typing keys snuck through the speaker. "And, most importantly, we found this."

A small window opened on Kaiba's screen, covering the left side of Pegasus's torso. It appeared to be formatted like an E-mail, only the sending options were corrupted, rending them unusable.

Leaning closer, Kaiba read:

_Hello Pegasus,_

_Took a little bit to access this system. A little shy of two hours, I'd say, maybe less. Don't bother repairing the security; we'll just delete it again the next time we access your database. Truthfully, we've been able to do so for quite some time. You see, we're in the middle of a business operation that is destined for greatness, and we feel that your system is an essential part of this process. We felt, however, that you wouldn't willingly give it to us, so we decided to seize it by force._

_Don't be alarmed, we'll give it back soon. We just need to hang onto it until our project reaches its final stages, then your precious Duel Monsters Server is all yours. But we're not a greedy group; you'll still be able to look through all of your core files to make sure they're all safe and sound. Just… we took the liberty of adding a touch of our own._

_As of right now we have several of our accomplices lurking among the city streets, particularly in Domino City, where Kaiba Corp's main server is stationed. Specifically the Duel Disk server. We feel that his company will also be of great use to us, and, in due time, I'm sure you and Kaiba will agree. As of right now, we have a couple of Duel Disks that we customized to work in our favor. One day you'll thank us, and we'll gladly be able to say your technology helped revolutionize the game you created as well as the state of the world as we know it._

_Hope we didn't interrupt your vacation._

_ Regards,_

_ The Deck Hackers_

Kaiba leaned back a bit, shifting his gaze back toward Pegasus, who had patiently stared at him the entire time.

"Looks like we have a little fan club." Kaiba cupped his hands together.

"They appear to be more than that." Pegasus finished off his wine, nervously placing the glass off screen. As he pulled his hand away, Kaiba heard a clang and then a crash. Looking at the floor next to him, Pegasus cursed.

Standing up, Kaiba placed his hands near either side of the monitor. "Well, if it's a fight they want, then it's a fight they'll get. I'll be over first thing tomorrow to assess the damages."

"Hang on!" Pegasus barked. "We need to address the situation as a whole, not just the individual pieces. Do you want to risk having everything you've worked for stolen right out from under your nose!?"

"Not like it's never happened before." Kaiba said, eying the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon card still on the counter. He took a breath. "I'll have Mokuba and my security team take care of things here. As of right now, your company is in jeopardy, while mine is not. If we want to make any progress in this, we'll have to act immediately. In the meantime, I'll have the local authorities arrest anyone with illegal or suspicious hardware."

Pegasus huffed, then winked. "I gotta say Kaiba-boy, it's not like you to help out a rival company so willingly."

"Who said I was?" he asked curtly. "Why wait for the bugs to crawl towards me when I can squash them at the nest?"

Pegasus nodded. He bent down to pick up the broken fragments; Kaiba shut off the computer, ending their session.

Mokuba stood behind the door on the other end of the room, his hands grasping onto its frame. When Kaiba stopped speaking, he entered, approaching the desk. Kaiba knelt down to pick up his fallen cards.

"I'll assume that I don't need to repeat myself."

Mokuba shook his head. He knelt down as well, helping his brother. "So, how long are you gonna be gone?"

"I don't know Mokuba." He stood up, accepting the cards Mokuba handed to him. "Depending on how carefully these 'Deck Hackers' are covering their tracks, I'll need to continuously run through Pegasus's systems to catch the virus and crack their locks." He walked back over to the desk. "After that, it's only a matter of tracing the signal back to the source."

"But what about the city? Pegasus made it sound like these thugs were duelists. What if we need you to teach them a lesson?"

"Call Yugi and inform him about only what he needs to know in order to get his job done."

Kaiba nearly gathered the cards he left on the counter when Mokuba grabbed his arm. "We can't, Seto. Yugi and his friends are away for the next two months. We just got this postcard from them yesterday."

Mokuba reached into his pocket, then showed the postcard to Kaiba. Upon sighting Joey Wheeler, he winced involuntarily.

"So," Mokuba started, "who are we gonna call now?"

Kaiba looked back to the desk. They needed someone who would be able to take on tough opponents amidst any potential danger. Naturally, he was up for the task, but his duties limited him. Yugi was out of the question. There was really no one lef…

_Wait…_ A memory flashed into Kaiba's eyes; his pupils widened, then shrunk upon his sudden realization.

With a brisk turn, Kaiba slipped the cards off his desk, sifting through them quickly. Then his eyes fell upon the one he needed. The Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon.

_No one has the power to summon this card besides me, and in my hands this card is unstoppable. And yet, Yugi managed to take its power and created something even stronger. _

Kaiba turned towards the window. While his head tilted towards the streets below, his sight seemed to be drawn inward.

_He was the only one ever to do so, until –_

"Seto?" Mokuba walked up next to him. "Did you hear me?"

Kaiba's mouth formed into a grave, thin line. "Yes."

Gently taking his brother's shoulder, he motioned for them to leave. As they walked, Mokuba saw Kaiba slide two cards into his Extra Deck slot. He recognized both. One with purple borders, another with silver.

Kaiba grasped the door's handle, swinging it open in a quick burst.

"He may be the only other duelist we can trust."

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… Data Found:

**Spark of Life**

[Spell/Continuous]

Every time a FIRE monster is Special Summoned from the Graveyard, inflict 300 points of damage to you and your opponent.

**Distrustful Intentions**

[Trap]

Activate only when your opponent controls a "Trusting" monster. Tribute 1 monster you control. Negate that monster's effects as long as your opponent controls that monster.

**Proposal**

[Trap]

Activate only if you have a "Lovey-Dovey Boy" or "Lovey-Dovey Groom" on your side of the field. Select 1 of the above monsters and activate the appropriate effect:

-"Lovey-Dovey Boy": Add 1 "Engagement Ring" from your Deck (or your partner's Deck if in a Tag Duel) to your hand (or your partner's hand). Then this card is treated as an Equip Spell Card and is equipped to the selected monster. The equipped monster is treated as two "Lovey-Dovey Boy" cards.

-"Lovey-Dovey Groom": This card is treated as a Continuous Trap Card. The selected monster cannot be destroyed in battle as long as a "Lovey-Dovey Bride" is on your side of the field. If "Lovey-Dovey Bride" is removed from the field, destroy the selected monster and this card.


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**Chapter Seventeen**

Nearly a day had passed since either Josh or Dave had seen Adam, and Dave wanted to keep it that way. Despite Josh's explanation (which he admitted was a poor one), Dave refused to believe Adam was a good person deep down. The arrogance and indirect insults to him and his idol were more than he could take. Instead of continuing that conversation, they just called it a night.

With the beta tests behind now them, Josh and Dave decided to pay a visit in Grandpa's shop the following morning. At least, Dave did. Josh could've done without it, but it felt that he owed Dave for reawakening his anger. Dave leaned against the counter, propping himself up with his forearms as Grandpa told his tale. Josh, on the other hand, stood to the side with his arms crossed. He occasionally glanced at the old man but mostly kept his gaze on the display of cards and knick-knacks on the walls.

"And that's how I escaped the tomb unharmed!"

Grandpa gave a hearty laugh, gripping his overalls and tearing up from joy. Josh simply stared at him, confused and uninterested. He twisted to see Dave, who had given his full attention to Grandpa's story.

"That's amazing! So that's how you found Yugi's Millenium Puzzle?"

"Yep!" Grandpa winked. Taking a box of cards off the counter, he sighed. "But that was when I was young and adventurous. Now I'm old and have gas problems." He laughed again.

Josh stepped away.

"That's so awesome," Dave said, gesturing towards the box. Grandpa handed it to him. "Any new cards in here?"

"Nope, that's the bargain bin." Grandpa whirled around, snatching another box from a shelf behind him. "Here." He placed it on the counter.

"Thanks." Dave opened it up and began to search through it. Josh slowly inched for the door.

"Looking for anything specific there, lad?"

Dave nodded. "In the final round of the tournament, I used Pot of Greed against this guy, Adam. But he somehow managed to empty my deck in one move and I lost the duel because of it."

A flash of excitement lit up in the old man's pupils. "I have just the card!" Ripping the box out of Dave's hands, he shoved his hand inside, pulling out a Spell Card. "There ya go!"

Dave accepted it. "Pot of Avarice."

"Yep," Grandpa said. "That card shuffles five monsters from your Graveyard back into your Deck before you draw, so you'll never have to worry about decking out again."

The teen smiled. "It's perfect, thanks!"

"No problem." Grandpa moved over to the cashier register and typed in some numbers. "That'll be fifteen dollars."

Josh tripped on a crack in the floor, slamming into a cardboard-cutout of a Duel Monster. Scrambling to pick it up, he rebalanced it, then raced over to their conversation.

"Fifteen dollars?! For one card!?"

"Sold." Dave pulled out his wallet.

Josh smacked the wallet away, which promptly fell onto the floor. "You gotta be kidding me!"

"That's not too bad," Dave said, bending down to get it. "That Dragon Master Knight card cost me fifty bucks, and that was with a coupon and a discount."

Josh threw his hands into the air. "That's a rip-off!" His friend seemed unfazed.

"If you're so worried about prices, how 'bout you sift through the bargain bin?" Dave slid the box his way.

Josh sighed. "If you insist." He spread some cards out with his fingers.

There was a strange variety of cards in it, too. It was mostly Spells and Traps, but there were a few monsters in there, although they had pretty low ATK and DEF scores. All of their images looked cool to him, too; an Egyptian-looking man in one, a soldier standing under a bunch flying monsters in another, but the pictures didn't matter much. What did matter was their effects, and how they could help his deck.

"We've got an excellent deal for them, too." Grandpa smiled widely, lifting up two fingers. "They're fifty cents apiece, or three for two dollars!"

Josh stopped what he was doing, processing what Grandpa just said.

"Just 'cause they're cheap doesn't mean they're not good," Dave said, noticing his friend's hesitation. "Sometimes the best combos are made from the weakest cards. Here, I'll get you some too. My treat." He reached a hand in as well.

"Dave… that's not wh–"

"These three look good." He took out three Spell Cards, fanning them out to Grandpa.

"Alright, that's two dollars."

Cash was exchanged before Josh even blinked.

"Thanks again, Mr. Muto!" Dave said, turning to leave. Josh hastily followed.

"No problem boys!" Grandpa waved. "Oh, and call me Gran–"

Josh closed the door behind him.

"Here ya go." Dave handed the cards to Josh.

Josh frowned, reluctantly taking them. "You didn't have to."

"Don't worry about it. I bought them for their names, mostly."

This confused Josh. He looked at them more closely.

"Yu-Jo Friendship, Unity, and Angel's Floating Feather." Josh raised an eyebrow, looking back to Dave. "Uh… what?"

"You don't get it, do you?" Dave adjusted his hat before pointing to each one individually. "Yu-Jo Friendship is us. When I see this card, I always think about how we meet in our freshman year of high school, and how far our friendship has gone since then. To me, Unity represents how you always had my back when I was in trouble, and vice-versa." Dave smiled softly. "I dunno, I after seeing these cards so often in Grandpa's shop I got more meaning out of them than most people would. You're really the only friend from high school that I still keep in regular contact with, and I'm glad that nothing has separated us. I hope it stays that way in the future."

Josh smiled too. Sappiness wasn't usually in Dave's nature. "I get ya. But what does this last one mean?"

A gentle breeze huffed through the air, causing their clothes to ripple with the wind. Josh turned to the trees; leaves floated with the updraft, being carried far beyond the branches they came from. Though they were long separated from their original trees, the leaves flew together along the invisible stream of gust. Continuing to swivel gracefully across the street, they flied higher and higher until the sun hid them in its widespread light.

Readjusting his hat again, Dave said, "You'll figure it out eventually."

* * *

><p>Very few cars were on the road today; only the sounds of birds, wind, and footsteps ever reached the duo's ears. They kept close together, consciously keeping an eye out for suspicious activity. There appeared to be none so far – just random bypassers heading in the opposite direction, going about their own business without even acknowledging the two. While Josh glanced across the street, Dave searched through his deck as they walked.<p>

"So, Mokuba said we had to hunt down the Deck Hackers ourselves?" Josh asked.

Dave smirked. "I thought you didn't want to duel 'guys with guns' anymore."

Sweat shot from Josh's hairline. "Of course not!" He laughed nervously. "By _we_, I meant _you_."

"I'm just kidding." Dave fanned his deck back together. "Besides, if _Kaiba_ wants me to actively search for them, things must be serious." He shoved his deck into its slot. "That guy doesn't mess around."

"Yeah, I know." Josh's voice faltered, recalling Kaiba's threats.

Dave's seeking eyes surveyed ahead. "We just need to keep an eye out for trouble."

They continued along the sidewalk for a bit, with the occasionally car passing them by. It was a quiet day. Disappointingly quiet. No signs of hostility presented themselves, and while they were grateful for that, they _did_ hope to serve their purpose soon.

_After all,_ Josh thought, _if we have to deal with these guys anyway, I'd rather do it sooner than later._

Manic laughter, followed by gasps and cries, echoed from ahead. The duo had gotten their wish.

They faced each other, nodding in agreement before running toward the noise.

Approaching a crowd gathered around a side street, Dave and Josh could just barely see a duel; on the side farther away from them a man, who appeared to be in his late twenties, held up his hand of five cards, fanning them at his monsters. They were all Machine-types – a floating blue humanoid machine with two cannons mounted on its shoulders, a red dragon-like robot with a sparkling sheen, and a yellow tank-like machine that glared dully with its one green eye. They pushed closer to the center, trying to get a better view. Unable to see any other cards out besides those three, they brought their attention on the side closest to them.

The man's opponent, a young teenage kid, cowered silently at the machines, his card-wielding fingers shaking uncontrollably. Dave saw two face-down cards beside a Continuous Spell Card (which he couldn't see clearly due to the height of the person in front of him), and, in front of them, two monsters that hid face-down.

"From the look on your face, I can guess you know what's gonna happen next!" The man shouted. "As you should. Now get ready!"

Finally reaching the center of the circle, Josh could see both duelists more clearly. The man had his brown hair slicked back, and the residual hair gel created a glare off his pointed bangs. A crooked smile sat on his face as he stared down the young kid opposite him. He wore a yellow shirt that seemed slightly torn, as if he had been slashed by some kind of sharp weapon. His hat was remarkably similar to Dave's – perhaps it was even the same one. The kid stepped back, apparentl…

_Wait a sec._

Josh examined him more closely. Despite having his back turned, he felt that he recognized this kid. He had just seen him once, but couldn't place where.

Suddenly, it clicked. _The tournament! _Josh thought. _He was the first duelist I ever faced!_ Josh stepped closer, worriment increasing.

"Now I'll combine _my_ X-Cannon Head, Y-Dragon Cannon, and Z-Metal Tank to form the unstoppable XYZ-Dragon Cannon!"

The three robots scrambled their positions – the humanoid robot connected to the top of the dragon robot, which, in turn, connected to the tank underneath it – until they formed a totem pole of mechanical warfare. (**2800**/2600) Charging cannons reflected in the boy's pupils. Unconsciously, crowd members backed up, pushing closer to the sidewalks. Dave watched them, surprised at their apparent fear.

_What exactly is going on here?_

"Alrighty!" the man shouted, cocking his Disk parallel to his head. "I'll discard all five cards in my hand to destroy that Vengeful Bog Spirit, along with those other four face-down cards you have!"

XYZ-Dragon Cannon reconfigured its weapons, aiming one at each card on the field. As the two shoulder-cannons unleashed their blasts, the dragon-head spewed out a pink beam, and the tank shot another two missiles from its sides. They all released simultaneously; blue orbs emitted out of each cannon, connecting together into an 'X'.

Each explosion followed the other, starting from the front row and quickly ripping its way to the back. The boy shielded his eyes, protecting them from the smoke it created.

"Now for the grand finale!" The man laughed. "Blow him away!"

As if awaiting the command, the war machine fired the same five shots at the teenager, releasing them simultaneously. Blue orbs emitted out each cannon, connecting them together into an 'X'-shape that followed the missiles and beams and smoke until they made impact. Just one blast knocked the boy onto his back, with the others throwing him further into the crowd. [Kid LP: (600 - 0)] His hat fell to the ground beside him, covered in a thin layer of soot.

Collective gasps could be heard from everyone around them. Josh felt something slam into his arm. Another boy brushed past him to consult the fallen duelist. This boy's orange shirt was wrinkled and dusted. He had some scratches and bruises on him, too, but those seemed to be slightly more settled than the one dueling now. Not even a moment later, Josh recognized this second boy as the duelist who helped teach him the game.

The boy placed his hand under the other's head, carefully trying to lift him up. "Timmy! Are you alright?"

He nodded weakly, frowned. "Matt… I'm sorry. I couldn't win."

"That's right you couldn't."

Miraculously, the man loomed over the two teenagers, tripping Matt and grabbing Timmy by the collar. He tugged Timmy off the ground, clutching onto the Duel Disk equipped to his arm.

"And, as you promised, I'll be taking your deck, and keeping your brother's!"

In one seamless motion, he kicked Timmy in the stomach and snatched the deck from the Card Analyzer. Timmy held his gut, curling his knees closer to his torso. The man twisted around, aimlessly shouting as he started to leave.

"Haha! That's another win for the Deck Hackers! And we got not one, but _two_ decks!"

_Deck Hackers!_ That was all the permission Dave needed. He burst forward, shoving others aside without effort, and grasped onto the hacker's shoulder. Digging his fingers into the hacker's collar bone, Dave used all his strength to toss him to the ground.

The hacker fell to his knees, scraping his hands against the pavement. "What in the…!" he mumbled angrily, glancing over to see Dave activating his Duel Disk.

"Deck Hacker or not, no one gets away with bullying kids." He flicked the rim of his hat upward, revealing the sparkling anger in his green eyes. "I'll duel you and win their decks back!"

"Hey, isn't that kid a finalist from Kaiba's tournament?" a male voice asked.

"Yeah!" a female one responded. "He beat that crazy psycho who stole his deck. It was amazing!"

Soft murmuring voices repeated similar questions.

The hacker dusted himself off, overhearing these conversations. "So, it's true? You're the one who defeated my accomplice."

Dave, expression grimly stern, nodded.

Pondering, the hacker snapped his fingers continuously. When he reached a conclusion, he snapped them again, this time causing his Duel Disk to activate. "Alright, but you'll have to relinquish your deck like the others if you lose." He whipped his tongue like a serpent's.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Dave retorted.

Both players pulled their cards, hiding their mouths behind the cardboard fans. Josh bent down to the two teens, helping them to their feet. They acknowledged him with reverence; he guessed that they recognized him the same way he recognized them. Acting as a guardian to the two brothers, Josh brought them back within the safety of the crowd.

"It's okay, Dave'll win for you guys," he said, touching their backs with his fingertips.

"I dunno," Timmy said, groaning a bit. "I thought I was winning at first but then…" he sent his gaze downcast.

Matt continued for him. "He's too good. Dave might've beaten that crazy lady, but this guy is a completely different story."

Josh gazed back at Dave, whose face remained unchanged since the challenge had been made. Observing the faces of those around him, he noticed a hint of fright hidden in each of their eyes, as if aware of a dangerous force that couldn't be seen.

_Dave,_ _be careful man, _Josh thought, keeping the two teens close.

_I can't let this guy get away with this, _Dave thought.

He gazed at the deck that brought him so far – the deck he spent a third of his life constructing. To think it could belong in the hands of another was sickening. He couldn't let that happen.

He wouldn't.

The hacker slipped out a sixth card, cracking a twisted grin at him.

Dave gritted his teeth. _Here we go._

[Dave LP: (8000)] [Deck Hacker LP: (8000)]

"Since I'm hosting the show – I'll go first!" The hacker said. "First up I'll play a monster face-down, then end my turn."

A brown-backed card flashed before him.

Josh turned to Timmy. "So far this doesn't seem so tough."

Timmy shook his head. "Just wait. He's got a card so powerful that once it's played the game is basically guaranteed to be over."

"My move." Dave drew. He glanced at the drawn card, then considered a strategy that would end the duel quickly. _If that kid's right, I can't let this drag out for too long._ "I summon Dark Blade in Attack Mode!"

The spike-armored warrior burst out of a vortex of shadows, swiping its two Arabian blades towards the sky. (**1800**/1500)

"Now – attack his monster!"

Dark Blade pranced at the brown card; its feet moving so quickly that they appeared to be dancing. The warrior stabbed both blades into the card simultaneously, revealing the blue, chandelier-like monster, whose own flames seared its body. (550/**400**) Dark Blade ripped its swords away, shredding the monster into three even pieces.

_A Normal Monster?_ Dave thought. _Why would he have such a weak Normal Monster in his deck?_

"I place one card face-down and end." Dave gripped onto his hat, readjusted it.

"Alright then." The hacker smiled. "My move." He picked up a new card, added it to his hand, then played another card all in one motion. "I'll play another face-down monster and end my turn."

_Again?_ Josh thought, surveying the crowd. They all watched on solemnly, almost knowingly. _Something's not right._

"In that case." Dave slapped a card onto his Duel Disk. "I summon Black Luster Knight!"

The young knight leaped out of its card hologram, unsheathing its sword, landing beside its ally. Its gauntlet lit up with golden streaks and its black cape rippled in the wind. (**1400**/1000; Counters: 2)

"Black Luster Knight, wipe out his monster. Sword Penetration!"

Black Luster Knight dashed at the hidden monster, swiping its blade, knocking its hiding spot away. The once hidden monster – a small rat with its skeleton exposed (400/**200**) – cowered in fear as the knight moved in for a lethal blow.

_Another weak monster._ Dave shook the thought off. _No, I can't let that distract me. I have to end this _now_!_

"Dark Blade –" he pointed at the grinning thief – "direct attack!"

Dark Blade dove in; holding its two swords high above its shoulders. When it came close to its prey, it lowered them, slashing at the hacker's chest, leaving a mark resembling an 'X'. [Deck Hacker LP: (8000 - 6200)] The hacker sagged his shoulders, shrugged off his pain.

"I end my turn," Dave said firmly.

"Fine with me," the hacker grinned.

Dave scowled. _What the hell is he planning?_

"I activate Enchanting Fitting Room," he said. A red shower curtain draped around the duelist, hung over him by a floating gold ring. "All I have to do is pay 800 Life Points –" [Deck Hacker LP: (6200 - 5400)] "– and then I can pick up the top four cards of my deck." The hacker fanned out four cards, presenting them to Dave. "And if any of them are Level 3 or lower Normal Monsters, I can Special Summon them to the field."

"And if they're not?" Dave spat.

"Then they return to my deck and I shuffle it. But that won't be necessary." The hacker flipped the cards over. "'Cause all four of them fit the requirements!"

The crowd watched on as the curtain closed; consuming the hacker in its veil. When it opened again, four monsters sat crouching towards the ground. From left to right, Dave saw a large grasshopper with large red eyes (500/**700**), an opened book with arms and legs (650/**500**), a green puddle that had a head shaped like a frog (700/**500**), and a worn jar that contained a blackened creature with one sinister eye and a crooked smile (400/**200**). Beside them, another card appeared, lying horizontally next to them.

"I set another monster face-down, then I'll play another card and end my turn." A final brown-backed card flashed by his feet, only this one lied vertically.

"My draw," Dave said. _I just gotta keep slicing at his Life Points before he reveals his true strategy._ He mused, analyzing his options. _This card should do the trick._ "I activate Unarmed Assault!"

The Spell Card reappeared beside Dave, behind his two warriors. The image depicted Black Luster Soldier leaping off a cliff, simultaneously hurling its sword towards an airborne Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

The hacker laughed. "Ah, interesting card there. But what's it do?"

"Shut up and I'll show you." That silenced his opponent. Dave continued; the crowd took a breath. "With this card I can remove any number of Black Luster Counters from cards I control and convert them into 200 points of damage each."

Black Luster Knight lifted its arms; the glowing streaks on its gauntlets vanished, leaving the armor a dulled blue. The streaks swirled throughout the air, circling the two duelists.

"So I'll take my Black Luster Knight's two counters and convert it into damage!" Dave held out his arm. "Attack!"

The swirling streaks spiraled around the field more rapidly, as if charging up with momentum. Soon they became solid yellow lines, both of them met at Dave's side and surged towards the hacker, smashing straight into his stomach. [Deck Hacker LP: (5400 - 5000)] The hacker bent forward, exhaled forcibly.

"Not bad." He erected his stance. "But good luck getting through to me with my wall of monsters out."

"Then let me change that – Black Luster Knight, attack!"

The knight, quickly composing itself on command, lurched its body forward, holding its sword parallel to its chest. The grasshopper gazed obliviously at the oncoming monster, only aware of its malicious intent once its blade split its head in between its two red eyes.

The hacker brushed off his shoulder. "So what? That's only one monster; I can always bring out another one."

"Make that two monsters. Dark Blade – attack!"

Dark Blade crossed its swords together, uncrossing them as it drew near the brown, jar-like monster. The once happy grin on its face reverted to a contorted frown; its eye seemed to lurch out as its body exploded into a pile of rubble.

"And with that, I end my turn –"

"And with that, I activate this!" The hacker extended his arm towards the sky; his face-down card followed. "Human-Wave Tactics!"

_Crap. _Dave clenched his teeth.

"At the end of every turn, when my Level two or lower Normal Monster are destroyed in combat, I can replace them with an equal number of Level two or lower Normal Monsters." The hacker grinned, held out his arms, presenting his new creatures. "So say hello to Ojama Green and Ojama Yellow!"

Two small humanoid monsters appeared on either side of the hacker's field. On the left, a green monster with one huge yellow eye grinned madly, flapping around its long, drool-covered tongue and showing off its red spandex. (0/**1000**) Meanwhile, on the right, the yellow monster twirled its eyes around, since they were connected to two tentacle-like body parts in its eyesockets, licking its big red lips…

… and showing off its red spandex. (0/**1000**)

Josh covered the younger teens' eyes. "Well, that's just creepy."

"Now it's my move." He drew, smiled. "And now it's your move!" He chuckled.

Dave raised an eyebrow. _Something's definitely wrong here_. "I'll activate my face-down card." The purple-bordered card rose, unleashing a black crossbow that latched onto Dark Blade's arm.

The hacker raised an eyebrow. "Nice gear."

Dave ignored him. "When Ebon Arrow is activated, it allows me to pick one monster I control and decreases its ATK by 500 until the end of the turn." (**1800 - 1300**/1500)

_Why would he deliberately weaken his own monster?_ Josh wondered, then immediately caught on.

_There's more to it._

"Now, Dark Blade, attack with Nightwing Arrow!"

Dark Blade pulled onto the crossbow's strings, and a black-tipped arrow instantly materialized in a whirlwind of shadows. It turned, carefully pointing at Ojama Yellow with its entire arm.

"And, you should know," Dave said, "when a monster equipped with Ebon Arrow attacks a Defense Position monster, you _still_ take damage."

The hacker frowned.

Dave swung his arm. "Fire!"

Dark Blade released its grip, launching the arrow across the pavement, piercing through both Ojama Yellow's large mouth, and the hacker's left arm.

"Gah!" The hacker shouted, reeling his head back. [Deck Hacker LP: (5000 - 4700)] He returned his gaze at Dave, with one eye closed. "All that trouble for so little damage?"

A dark mist shrouded the hacker, working its way around his wound.

"Hey, what gives?" He tried swatting it away, failed.

Dave smirked. "I forgot to mention Ebon Arrow's last effect. It takes the DEF value of your destroyed monster and inflicts it as damage."

"Wha?" The mist whipped around him, constricting his limbs like tightening ropes. [Deck Hacker LP: (4700 - 3700)]

"Now, Black Luster Knight, take out another monster." Dave touched the rim of his hat. "Sword Penetration!"

Eagerly, the young knight sliced its sword at the living book, tearing it in half from its binding.

"That's my turn."

"And now I'll bring out two more monsters with my Human-Wave Tactics card."

Another black, humanoid monster took the field, flexing its chest and arms, as well as showing off its red spandex. (0/**1000**) Next to it, a purplish-black plant sprouted, rose up and gazed darkly at its opponent. (300/**400**)

"My draw, then." The hacker picked up his top card, his pupils shone with glee. "Gahahaha!" He laughed, swinging his arm to the side, bringing his Duel Disk with it. "It's all over! I activate Bartering of Kings!"

The crowd gasped, turning to each other to voice their concerns. Soon the commotion became uproar, and though he tried, Dave couldn't ignore it any longer. He gritted his teeth, adjusting his camouflage hat again.

"No!" Timmy shouted. Josh turned, anxious. "That's the card he beat me with!"

_It must be an Illegal card,_ Dave thought. _Just like the one Jonathan used against Josh._

"When Bartering of Kings is played, both players switch everything besides their fields and hands."

Realization struck Dave, widening his stare. _No!_ He looked to his deck. The crowd did the same – it seemed as if thousands of eyes were staring at it, longing to hang onto it for him, but knew they simply couldn't.

"That's right." The hacker put his hand to his own deck, pulled it out of its slot. "Now hand it over." He casually strode past his wall of monsters.

Dave remained frozen in place. The images of every card in his deck flashed before his eyes. Luster Dragon, Sworn into the Army, Black Luster Soldier…

Now they would be used against him.

"Hand it over," the hacker repeated, holding out his own deck in exchange.

Josh put a hand on the trembling teenager's shoulders. _So this is how he won with so many weak monsters._ He furrowed his brow. _He knows that nearly any deck can take it out, so when he trades decks he has a clear advantage over his opponent._ Josh turned his gaze to the faces of the young teens.

Their eyes exposed their fear.

Back on the field, Dave silently swapped decks with the hacker, sulking as he shoved his new deck into his Duel Disk. His stare hid under his hat, but Josh could tell he felt that he had already lost.

Everyone had.

With the stealth of a ninja, the hacker returned to his original spot. "Hope you like your new toys, 'cause I'll certainly like mine! Gahaahaha!"

Dave shot his glance to his hand. These last five cards were all that stayed with him. He had to make the most out of them.

The hacker threw another card down. "How 'bout we start out fresh? I activate Card Destruction!"

A dead heartbeat slammed against Dave's chest.

_No, _Josh thought. _That means…_

"We each discard our hands and replace them with new cards from our decks." He fanned out his three drawn cards. No, Dave's cards.

His old cards.

"Now let's see what we have here..." the hacker mused.

Meanwhile, Dave looked down at his own hand. All Normal Monsters; none of their ATKs even broke 1000.

_I'm screwed._

"Ah, this looks like a fine choice!" The hacker said, smacking his tongue. "Black Luster Ritual!"

"What!" Josh shouted, stepped forward, unconsciously pushing both teenagers aside. The crowd grew unsteady, backed up.

Blue flames burned around the hacker's monsters in a perfect circle, slowly expanding until it consumed each monster one by one. None of them moved; they knew their purpose had been fulfilled. Now the hacker's real plan would begin.

"Emerge, my Black Luster Soldier!" The hacker yelled, holding out his arms toward the sky. The flames flew upward, surging into the air with dramatic flair. Dave felt the heat, saw the light blue glow against his camouflage clothes. Then, the light faded.

And the Black Luster Soldier stood with its sword poised at his throat.

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… Data Found:

**Reorganized Resources**

[Trap]

When this card is activated, take all Black Luster Counters on the field and place them on this card. (Cards that would be destroyed at this time are not destroyed) Place any amount of Black Luster Counters on any card that can have Black Luster Counters on them. (If the maximum amount of Black Luster Counters is not specified on the card, the maximum is 20)

**Unarmed Assault**

[Spell]

This card can only be activated if there is at least 1 Black Luster Counters on the field. Remove up to 10 Black Luster Counters from the field. Inflict 200 points of damage to your opponent's Life Points for every Black Luster Counter that was removed.

**Trusting Chanter**

[Dark]

[Spellcaster/Effect]

(1300/900)

During a Tag Duel, this monster can be used for battle by both its controller and their partner. Also, they can activate Spell cards from each other's side of the field. During a Normal Duel, this card is treated as a Normal Monster and the previous effects are ignored.


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**Chapter Eighteen**

Josh kept himself composed, even as those around him started to break down in silent panic. They had seen at least two other duelists fall to this fiendish Deck Hacker, and now it seemed they were about to see another one. Josh swept his eyes along the field again, noticing, in his peripheral vision, that Timmy and Matthew both shuddered uncontrollably.

Although the Deck Hacker managed to take away Dave's cards and replace them with near-useless ones, Dave still had two monsters out – Dark Blade (**1800**/1500) and Black Luster Knight (**1400**/1000). But even those with poor sight could see that Dave was afraid. Especially now, with his Black Luster Soldier standing against him. (**3000**/2500) The soldier's cold, merciless stare magnified its threat; it raised its sword high, causing light to gleam off it.

Dave gulped; sweat dripped off his hair. The hacker smirked, returning his hand near his waist.

"Now – attack his Black Luster Knight!"

Black Luster Soldier lifted its blade; light flashed across it as it had been raised, glimmering into everyone's eyes. The soldier leapt upward, rapidly descending towards its young apprentice, where it sliced the warrior's arm off. The warrior fell over, coughing up blood, dying upon hitting the ground.

Dave watched in silence. [Dave LP: (8000 - 6400)]

Josh tried to speak out to him; his astonishment blocked his words. _This can't be happening..._

"I'll set one card face-down and end my turn."

Dave reluctantly picked up the top card of his deck. He felt better when he saw it was a Trap, but that didn't help much.

_Every duel I've ever fought and I've never had to battle my own monster._ Dave kept his stare on his opponent – his former ally. _I can't believe this…_

He sifted through his cards, knowing that it didn't matter what he chose to do.

Nothing could save him now.

"I'll place one monster face-down." A brown card materialized next to Dark Blade, who knelt immediately after, crossing its two swords in front of its face. "And I switch my Dark Blade to Defense Mode." (1800/**1500**)

The hacker laughed. "That all you got, punk?"

Dave's voice faltered in his throat. He caught himself before he spoke again.

"I'll set another card face-down and end my turn." He slid the Trap Card into his Duel Disk, then gazed at his feet, reflexively darting his eyes back to the soldier. _I can't let them know I've given up already._

But the crowd already knew.

"My draw," the hacker said, ripping out a new card. He glanced at it, smiled. "Ah, look at we have here!" He flipped it over, revealing a Spell Card that depicted a document floating in a kaleidoscope-patterned space.

Dave grimaced.

"When I draw Will of Clairvoyance, I can declare one card name. Then, I pick up the top card of my deck. If it's the card I declared, then I get to add it to my hand." He held his fingers on top of his deck, thinking. "Let's see. Will of Clairvoyance is an Equip Spell Card, so what kind of card would work well with an Equip Spell Card."

_There's no way he's gonna guess this right,_ Josh thought. _He's never even seen Dave's deck before! How is he gonna know what to pick? _From looking around the crowd, he saw that they seemed to agree.

_It doesn't matter if he _knows _what to pick,_ Dave thought angrily. _He just needs to choose a card that can help him take me down. If he gets it right, then he's just lucky._ Though, judging from the last few turns, it didn't matter anymore.

"Release Restraint Wave sounds good right about now."

Panic found its way into Dave's chest. _I have that card in my deck!_

The hacker drew, flipped it over for all to see.

Release Restraint Wave.

"Well, will ya look at that?" He grinned.

Everyone simultaneously gasped. Timmy and Matt stepped closer to Josh, who touched their shoulders, trying to calm them down. He hated to admit it, but he was impressed.

Dave brought his Duel Disk to his chest, ignored his opponent, instead stared deeply into the Black Luster Soldier's pupils.

Its stare was cold.

"Alright! Now for some _real_ action! I'll activate Will of Clairvoyance and equip it to your Dark Blade."

A holographic scroll materialized before the crowd's eyes. Hypnotic lights emitted out of the hacker's Disk, creating a pathway for the scroll to float through. Dark Blade, caught under the light's influence, snatched the scroll in a daze.

"Oh, look at that. Looks like your monster seems a little dizzy." The hacker chuckled. "Let's fix that!" He held out the Spell Card. "Release Restraint Wave!"

Lightning shot from the sky, striking random spots on the street. Crowd members dodged each bolt in fright. Josh shielded the two teenagers near him.

Dave remained steadfast, glowering at the hacker. Even though the bolts would ultimately strike the scroll, he wondered why the hacker would deliberately scare so many innocent people like this.

An intimidation technique? Perhaps.

"And, since it's your card, you should know what happens when Will of Clairvoyance is destroyed."

Dave frowned. "It destroys the equipped monster and returns them both to the top of your deck."

The hacker gave a condescending smile. "Correct! Then I'll be able to take what little of your deck you have left!"

Dave gritted his teeth. _He's right. With Dark Blade gone he's turned everything I own against me. All I have now is a bunch of weak monsters._

Black Luster Soldier stared at the face-down monster at Dave's feet. He could've sworn he saw a hint of evil flicker in its eyes as lightning struck nearby, giving its armor an eerie glare. That monster would be its next prey.

Then it would go in for the kill.

At last, the lightning ripped through the sky with an earsplitting _boom!_ and struck Dark Blade directly in the helmet. It reeled its head back, dropping its swords which clanged against the concrete. With its remaining strength, the warrior clutched onto its scroll, but the lightning soon seared it into ashes. Dark Blade flexed out its arms, throwing the electricity off its body and redirecting it into the face-down card behind. Within seconds, the face-down Birthright vaporized.

The crowd stared at Dark Blade as it tried to steady its balance, but the hypnotic lights began to surround it again. Lifting its hung head, it sent a dizzied glance at the hacker before collapsing onto the floor. The lights overtook its shape, and the wind reverted it back into two cards, sweeping them into the hacker's hands.

Dave held his breath as Black Luster Soldier raised its sword.

"Black Luster Soldier – kill!"

Obediently, the soldier swooped towards the face-down monster, ripping it in half. The image of a small, green blob appeared before deteriorating into nothing.

"And that's my turn!" The hacker said, cackling with mad enthusiasm.

Josh examined Dave's adversary, his former friend. The Black Luster Soldier had attacked with no remorse. Truthfully, it was a hologram; it only did what it was programed to do. But from the way Dave was acting, he didn't seem to feel the same way.

"I set a face-down card and another monster." Dave's movements were slowed by this thoughts. "I end."

"Now it's time for _me_ to end this!" The hacker drew, showing the card without looking. "Will of Clairvoyance!" He condescendingly put his hand on his chin, tapping it. "Gee, I wonder what my next card could be?"

Dave clenched his teeth, nearly growling.

"Hmm… oh! I know!" The hacker ripped out the top card, as if he had pulled it out of a hat. "Dark Blade!" He turned it over, confirming his selection to himself. "Will you look at that?"

"Just get on with it," Dave said with controlled anger.

The hacker pouted. "Fine, if you want to be that way."

The hacker placed down the card, and Dark Blade reemerged beside Black Luster Soldier, sharing its grave expression. (**1800**/1500)

"Dark Blade, attack!"

Without any hesitation, Dark Blade sliced the face-down card into four triangles, vaporizing them instantly. In their place, a tiny squared angel appeared, separating into four pieces in the same fashion before dying.

"Now for the fun part – Black Luster Soldier!"

Black Luster Soldier leapt into the air, sword at the ready.

Dave reflexively lifted a halting hand.

"You activated my Trap Card!"

As Black Luster Soldier made its descent, two more squared angels appeared to intercept the attack. The soldier's blade sliced through one of them like butter, causing it to explode. It returned to its post as the hacker examined the Trap.

"The League of Uniform Nomenclature," he said. "So you used one of my stall tactics to defend yourself. Clever, but not clever enough." He wagged a finger. "You have nothing on me."

Dave positioned himself to draw. "We'll see about that."

"I hope he's wrong," Timmy said.

Josh merely nodded.

"My draw." Dave lifted the card out his – er, his opponent's – deck. _Encouragement. _He didn't recognize it. Was it a new card? He read its effect in his head:

"_Select 1 Normal Monster on your side of the field. Discard from your hand 2 monsters whose combined levels are 5 or lower. Increase the selected monster's ATK and DEF by the combined original ATK and DEF of the discarded monsters."_

He blinked. _There's no way this card is real._ He shook his head. _It doesn't matter. If I use this card I may be able to destroy Black Luster Soldier and be one step closer to bringing it back to my side._

Dave added the card to his hand, glancing at the remaining ones he held. _With Triangle Power, I can boost my Mokey-Mokey's ATK by 2000, and then Encouragement will boost its ATK beyond 3000 – more than enough to destroy Black Luster Soldier._ _But…_ He read over Triangle Power again. _No matter what happens I lose my monster._

Dave lifted his eyes, found both of his monsters staring darkly into them. They acted like they were subdued by a superior force – slaves to a new master. If he didn't win this duel, they would be bound to his fiendish opponent forever.

_I have no choice._

"I activate Triangle Power!"

A small hut of green energy formed around the rectangular energy, granting it temporary strength. (**300 - 2300**/100 - 2100) It flexed its arms, failing to impress the crowd.

The hacker watched, amused. "So, you've become desperate to fight back, huh? Sorry, but when that boost expires so does your monster. Then my Black Luster Soldier –" Dave (and Josh) cringed when he said 'my' "– will slice away the rest of your Life Points."

Dave stared back at the Black Luster Soldier in front of him. _His_ Black Luster Soldier. The unmoving eyes of the warrior told him exactly what he needed to do.

"Sorry, but_ you're_ not taking _my_ cards away from _me_!" Dave slipped a card out of his grip with dignity. "I activate Encouragement!"

The hacker gasped theatrically. "No! Not that!"

Dave grinned. "That's right!" He bent his fingers, positioning the card beside a correct spot on his Duel Disk. "By the end of this turn, the Black Luster Soldier will fall!"

He slid the card in.

"Or…" the hacker's eyes glimmered. "The Black Luster Soldier will stay exactly where it belongs!"

"What are yo–"

"Dave!" Josh shouted. Dave turned to him. "Look!" He pointed; others' watched on.

Dave's Duel Disk wisped with static, an unrealistically rainbow glow covered its platforms. He shook it violently, as if his arm had been set ablaze. Just as the static grew more intense, the hologram of a Spell Card appeared, only to dematerialize into ones and zeros. They rose into the air, vaporized; as did any hope of winning this duel.

Dave glanced at the source of the problem. The Encouragement card ejected from his Duel Disk, searing with smoke.

"No…"

The hacker clapped. "It's okay, boy! You made a _good_ effort!" He crossed his arms, touching a finger to his chin. "It just wasn't enough."

Traumatized pupils faced the hacker. "I don't understand." The pupils flared, changing to rage. "What did you do!"

The hacker merely laughed. "_I_ did nothing. And, well, _you_ did nothing."

"What the hell does that mean!" Dave clutched a fist, nearly throwing a tantrum.

"I don't get it," Timmy whispered to his brother. "That guy used that same card against me. That's how he was able to destroy my monsters before he played that deck-switching card."

Josh listened to them, empathizing with his friend. _Then why didn't it work for Dave?_

"Look," the hacker said. "If you think you can use my cards, then go ahead, use them. That doesn't mean they're going to obey you!" He laughed again, a condescending wail.

Dave held back the urge to punch his opponent. If he did, the Black Luster Soldier would surely stop him.

"Fine," Dave spat. "Then change of plans. Mokey-Mokey!" The rectangular angel leapt up, startled by the command. "Destroy Dark Blade!"

Mokey-Mokey nervously dove at the twin-bladed warrior. After spastically dodging two slashes, Mokey-Mokey slammed into Dark Blade's torso, somehow sending it flying into the ground. The tiny monster widened its stare, seemingly in awe of its own power. [Deck Hacker LP: (3700 - 3200)]

The hacker tossed Dark Blade's card away uncaringly. "Too bad, you looked so determined to take your favorite card back. I guess better luck next time."

Mokey-Mokey attempted to float back to Dave, but the greenish glow overtook its wings, disintegrating them. Drained of its energy, the angel could only allow gravity to drag it down to its death.

Dave simply gritted his teeth.

"My turn, then." The hacker lifted up another card. "Ah, perfect. I activate Black Luster Helmet!"

Black Luster Soldier's helmet dematerialized, quickly replacing itself before the warrior's hair could be seen. Twenty gems sparkled from the sun's reflection, and ten of them shined due to their own internal source. (Counters: 10)

"I'm sure you know this card well," the hacker said, smiling with laughter. "With it, the effects changes based on the number of counters I remove."

Dave grimaced. _I know exactly what he's up to._

"So now I'll remove four counters –" (Counters: 10 - 6) "– to add Black Luster Warrior to my hand, and then summon it to the field!"

The young warrior somberly hopped beside its superior, reverently regarding its new master before drawing its sword. (**1600**/1000)

_He's going to pull all my resources to manipulate the field, then finish me with my own Black Luster Soldier._

Dave looked to the opposing monsters, as if asking for confirmation.

Glares were his only answer.

"Black Luster Warrior attack his face-down monster, then Black Luster Soldier'll go in for a direct strike!"

Black Luster Warrior dashed ahead, switching its grip on the blade so the handle faced upward. Once it approached the brown card, the warrior lifted the sword with both hands and slammed it down, penetrating the ground in the process. A blue hand wielding a candle – the Candle of Fate – could only twitch as the blade pierced through. The flame on the candle's wick blew out, and was replaced with a spatter of blood.

Before Black Luster Warrior could even drew its sword back, a blue blur swept overhead. Black Luster Soldier held its blade high above the crowd, its hair flowing as it fell. Dave couldn't help but look into its cold, bloodthirsty eyes. The heartache he felt from them was more than he could bare; he didn't even realize he had been stabbed until the soldier ripped its sword out and jumped away.

Dave bent forward, clenching his stomach. His eyes bugged out. [Dave LP: (6400 - 3400)]

"That's it for now," the hacker said. The two Black Luster monsters returned to him, standing on either side. "If my calculations are correct, this is your final turn." He chuckled. "Hopefully you draw something good."

"Shut up," Dave groaned, wincing as he straightened himself. "My draw." He slid out a card. The image irked him.

_Pot of Greed._

While the card itself wasn't bad, it represented so much more than that. It was the cause of his failure at the most critical moment in his life, crushing his dreams faster than he thought was possible. But, looking over his hand again, he realized nothing else could save him.

It was the only option.

Dave held up the card. "I activate Pot of Greed."

The hacker laughed. "Ah, just delaying the inevitable huh?"

Dave ripped out two cards forcefully. The first one was Thousand Energy. Can't really do much with it right now. All of his hope rested on the second card, Elderly Expectations.

"_Select 1 Normal Monster you control. Increase its ATK and DEF by 2000. The selected monster also is unaffected by card effects during your Battle Phase, except for this card. In addition, if the selected monster's ATK is higher than the DEF of a Defense Position monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points. These effects last for 3 turns."_

He blinked. _This is… unbelievable._

"C'mon!" the hacker yelled. "Are you gonna play or what? I'm getting impatient!"

Dave slipped out another card, clearly irritated. "Then I'll give you exactly what you want. I summon Doron in Attack Mode!"

A humanoid creature rose up from the concrete. Black fabric wrapped around its body so tightly that it seemed to be fused into its skin. Only a few orange tan-lines showed, and its eyes blended in with its clothes. (**900**/900)

"Really? Attack Position? Looks like we're getting a little desperate here."

"Not quite," Dave said. He presented Thousand Energy. "'Cause this is the turn where Black Luster Soldier falls!"

The soldier blankly glared at Doron, acknowledging Dave's words.

It cracked a malicious grin.

Dave noticed this – his heart skipped a beat, but he wouldn't let it break his stride. "With Thousand Energy, Doron gains 1000 ATK points."

"But it'll be destroyed at the end of your turn," the hacker said.

Josh held his mouth agape. He stood in the crowd, yet felt separate from them. They were afraid; he felt something different, though he couldn't put his finger on it.

_If Dave's plan fails…_ at last he finally realized what overcame him.

He wasn't sure if Dave could win.

A light red aura surrounded Doron; it flexed as the color darkened and intensified. (**900 - 1900**/900)

"Still not strong enough," the hacker teased.

"I know," Dave barked. "But with this, I'll be able to take back what's mine." He slipped out the Spell Card from the cluster of vanilla cards. "I activate Elderly Expectations!" With a dramatic thrust of his arm, he laid it down.

The recreated version of the Spell Card appeared; it depicted a bald, old man using his cane to smack a kneeling child. The child seemed to be tearfully yelling out in pain.

The hacker looked on, pondering. "Hmm, I must admit. You _are_ a very skilled duelist…"

Dave lifted his chin; his expression changed from anger to confusion.

"…but you're also an idiot." The hacker snapped his fingers with a smirk.

The Elderly Expectations card erupted in an outburst of static, startling Dave and subconsciously forcing him to jump back. Josh dropped his jaw; the two teenagers drew closer to him. They watched the card explode into data, and, while everyone had their eyes on the rippling numbers, Josh shot a glance back at the hacker.

"Aren't you gonna learn?" the hacker said. "I guess only _smart_ people are able to truly understand our power."

"What the hell do you mean!" Josh shouted, gathering attention from both the crowd and the duelists. "Why wasn't Dave able to use your card?!"

"Simple." The hacker smiled. "Because it was a card designed by the Deck Hackers, so only a Deck Hacker can use it!" He lifted up his Duel Disk. "Take a look. We've hacked our Card Analyzers so they're able to process the card data. Normally it'd just short out the program and the card would fail since it's not on the Card Database." He lowered his Disk. "But thanks to our Master's special override, we're able to draw power from a separate server and use our own custom-made cards to defeat our opponents!"

"That's insane," Dave said. He tensed. "You're cheating!"

The hacker shrugged. "Cheating, smeating. _You're_ the idiot who accepted my challenge. Can't blame me if you blindly walk into a trap."

"Trap, smap," Dave spat. "I won't give in to someone who has to leech off others to win! Doron – destroy Black Luster Warrior!"

Doron took two stomping steps toward the warrior before it willingly entered the battle. Raising its blood-stained sword, Black Luster Warrior sliced at Doron, splashing blood as its arm arched. Doron skillfully ducked down and kicked Black Luster Warrior's leg, causing it to lose its balance and its grip on its sword. Doron stepped back, watching its opponent slam onto the ground. The sword spun through the air; the warrior didn't even have time to stand up before it was impaled.

It died by its own hand.

"Desperate measure, don't you think?" the Deck Hacker said. [Deck Hacker LP: (3200 - 2900)] "I mean, look at your monster."

Dave complied; Doron returned to its original spot, but now it seemed tired. Kneeling down, it coughed and panted as the red aura slowly corroded its body until nothing remained.

Josh inhaled quietly, as if ashamed of the act.

"You fought well, Dave – you lasted far longer than the other two."

Timmy and Matt looked to each other, then to Josh.

Josh looked away, dropping his gaze.

"But now it's time to end this." The hacker drew. "I'll use Black Luster Helmet's effect again. Removing four counters allows me to add Black Luster Sword to my hand!" (Counters: 6 - 2) "I think you know what's next!"

Dave trembled as the Black Luster Soldier dropped its old sword to the ground – gladly ridding itself of it – in order to make room for the new, more powerful blade. Heavy hearted, he watched the worn sword shatter into tiny pieces as the Black Luster Sword's handle started to glow. (Counters: 5) (**3000 - 4000**/2500)

"Any last words?" The hacker laughed.

Dave turned to those behind him. Their sorrowful gazes seemed to be mourning him; it was as if he had been sentenced to death and they were about to witness his hanging. The gazes remained unchanged even as his eyes swept around the circle. When he turned to Josh, his friend was just staring at the floor.

Gloomy and distraught, Dave adjusted his camouflage hat. Slowly moving his thumb away from his green eyes, he saw the Black Luster Soldier again. The callous expression the monster held sent chills pulsating through his chest all the way down to his toes.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. He dropped his gaze, clutched his fists. "I'm sorry I failed you…"

"It's all over," the hacker shouted. "Black Luster Soldier – end this!"

The crowd unconsciously gasped together, holding their breath as the soldier started its stride. Each step it took seemed to be in slow motion; each sound echoed crystal clear. Its hair waving in the wind. Rubble scuttering under its feet. Its sword swooping across, cutting through the air. All of these actions occurred within their sight, and yet Dave remained unmoved, accepting the soldier's final decision.

The strike returned him to reality; a single blow, slashing clean along his stomach. Cards shot out of his Card Analyzer, fluttering overhead as he flew. He fell onto his back, scraping his arms against the concrete, leaving lines of cuts as he propelled towards the crowd. When he finally stopped, he shouted in agony.

Not from pain. [Dave LP: (3400 - 0)]

Josh lifted his head again, rushing over once he saw Dave on the ground. Matt and Timmy did the same. They helped Dave up; Josh and another bystander braced his arms up against their shoulders, guiding him back to the crowd. Dave looked back at the hacker, who was already regathering his scattered cards, and the Black Luster Soldier. For a fleeting moment, he could've sworn he saw tears gathering in the soldier's eyes before it reverted back into holographic light, disappearing forever.

Dave let out a wavering breathe.

"Welp, that's three decks in one hour," the hacker said, finally picking up the last fallen card. "The Master will _definitely_ love this!" He stood up, boasting his chest out. "Anyone else wish to challenge the mighty Deck Hackers to save the day?!"

Silence. The crowd didn't bother moving; nothing they did could help. They just stood still, hopelessly watching the hacker chuckle in the center of the street. Dave leaned against a building, eyes transfixed on the empty Card Analyzer on his wrist. Josh sympathized; he faced in the hacker's direction, angrily exhaling through his nose.

After a few minutes, the hacker spoke again. "No one? I guess I'm done here." The hacker turned his back to them.

"I'll duel."

The hacker stopped mid-turn, freezing once the cold voice reached his ears. He spun back, facing this foolish new challenger.

Everyone stepped aside, allowing the duelist through. At first, the hacker couldn't see him – he only managed to catch of spot of red as he approached. But then, as more moved away, the duelist came into full view.

"Adam…" Josh whispered, taken aback. Where did he come from?

Adam lifted his arm to his gray jacket, switching his Duel Disk on. "Only a coward would brag about stealing another's deck like you have."

The hacker smirked. "What, do you expect an apology? Well sorry – sorry that you're all a bunch of suckers!"

"Shut up," Adam said; his voice as cold as ice. He held the Duel Disk at chest height. "You know the drill. I win, everyone gets their decks back. You win, you get mine as well."

The hacker mused momentarily. "You're on."

Dave glared past Josh's head, just barely getting a glimpse of the hacker. He drew his five cards, and he saw that Adam did the same. Josh heard him grunt, and saw him walk to his side.

"You think he can win?" Matt asked.

"Dunno," Timmy said. "At this point, I'm not sure _anyone_ can beat this guy. The second they switch decks the duel's basically done."

A thought flashed into Josh's head, sparking like a bolt lightning. Yesterday, after the situation at Kaiba Corp, he remembered meeting Adam. They talked, and then…

…they dueled with each others' decks.

Josh shifted his head, facing Dave. He saw the contempt Dave held against Adam; the duelist's figure reflected in his eyes. But then he paused, taking a single breathe with closed eyes. Once they opened he saw the reflection again, this time the hatred was replaced by something else. At that moment, Josh knew that Dave agreed:

As much as Dave didn't like Adam, he was their only hope.

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… Data Found:

**Foul Play**

[Spell/Quickplay]

Activate only during a Tag Duel. If you inflict battle damage to one of your opponents, both your opponents take the same amount of damage during this turn only. This does not count for direct attacks.

**Black Luster Helmet**

[Spell/Equip]

This card can only be equipped to a monster with "Black Luster" in its name. When this card is activated, place 10 Black Luster Counters on this card (max.20). Once per turn you can activate one of the following effects:

-By removing 5 Black Luster Counters from this card, the equipped monster may not be specifically targeted by your opponent's Spell, Trap, or monster card's effects until the end of your opponent's next End Phase.

-By removing 4 Black Luster Counters from this card, add a card with "Black Luster" in its name from your deck to your hand. This card cannot be "Black Luster Helmet".

-By removing 3 Counters from this card, flip 1 face-down card in your opponent's Spell/Trap Card Zone face-up. If it is a Spell Card, return it to its original position. If it is a Trap Card, destroy it.

-By removing 2 Black Luster Counters from this card, flip 1 face-down card in your opponent's Spell/Trap Card Zone face up. If it is a Trap Card, return it to its original position. If it is a Spell Card, destroy it.

-By removing 1 Black Luster Counter from this card, draw 1 card.

When there are no more Black Luster Counters on this card, destroy it.

**Will of Clairvoyance**

[Spell/Equip]

When you draw this card, you can reveal it and declare 1 Card Name then, pick up the top card of your Deck, if the name of that card is the one you declared, add it to your Hand. If this card is destroyed, destroy the equipped monster. When this card and the equipped monster are destroyed, return both cards to the top of your Deck, with the equipped monster below this card.

_[Credit to TheWarriorJoshua on Pojo for the creation of this card]_


	20. Chapter Nineteen

**Chapter Nineteen**

Soft footsteps echoed in the long hallways, ricocheting across the mansion with subtle enthusiasm. Marble walls reflected the pale light that shone through the tall, crystal-clear windows, casting innocently onto the youthful boy playing near the transparent coffee-table. His long, wavy red hair flowed onto his shoulders, gently separating and shifting as he heaved the heavy, stainless-pale couch cushion. Bracing it against the armrest on the opposite side, he panted, exhausted from the task.

This was more than the eight-year-old had done in a while.

Grasping a handful of cards from the table, he excitedly jumped up on the couch, then divided the cards even into two piles, one in each hand. Peering down the cushion he had position just perfectly so, he fanned out the cards and placed them on the top of the armrest.

One by one, the cards fell, sliding down the cushion to the boy's joy. Eagerness lit up his eyes as each card slid diagonally towards the floor. This was the most fun he'd had in years.

As the cards scattered across the polished, tiled floor, the boy leapt off the couch and ran to chase after them. The cards continued to slide; some hitting the walls, others gliding even further across the wide room.

When some cards started to near the double-doors, the boy leapt off the couch to chase after them. The moment he did, he kicked his foot back, gliding across the floor with his socks like and ice-skater. He let out tiny giggles as he dashed around the cards, scooping some up as he passed.

The turning of the doorknob caught the boy off guard, causing him to lose his balance. He tried to turn away from the shelf on the far wall, but his socks had already picked up too much momentum, and he was sent slamming onto his chest as his feet crashed into one of its legs. The cards he held flew out of his grasp, scattering across the floor just as the others did just minutes ago.

The boy lifted his head slowly, dazed. His bangs fluttered near his nose, which he pushed away to see a Spell Card near a broken picture frame. He could see himself in the picture, but the other members were blurred out by the glaring, shattered glass. He groaned, crawling to pick it up, when a black-polished shoe stepped to block his way. The boy's sight trailed up the figure's leg, fear fluttering in his heart.

He knew he was in for it tonight.

* * *

><p>Adam's eyes surveyed the crowd, catching a glimpse of each eye that fell upon him. Fearful eyes – eyes that lost hope long ago. The eyes darted away from him, fell onto his opponent. There the fear grew, strengthening exponentially in their pupils.<p>

Before Adam looked over his hand, he shot a glance at the two college students standing on the sidewalk – Josh and Dave. He could see their eyes shining, knowing he had what they needed. They had hope. But Adam didn't need their hope.

That wasn't what drove him in the first place.

[Adam LP: (8000)] [Deck Hacker LP: (8000)]

Adam held up the fanned-collection of cards, spreading them in between his fingers. _No Card Destruction,_ he noted. But if his deck didn't give him that card, maybe he didn't need it.

_Still, I need a way to put a monster in the Graveyard._

He glanced over the cards again, siding past his first four cards. _Ah, here we go,_ he thought. _This'll do._

"Alrighty! Time to start things off!" the hacker gleefully shouted, sliding out a card. "I'll set a monster face-down and end my turn!"

The brown card materialized at the hacker's feet, casting a small shadow over the concrete.

Adam drew his card, keeping his attention on the field. _Okay, if he had Bartering of the Kings in his hand he would've definitely played it immediately to take my deck._ He looked up his opponent's hand, counting. _Five cards._

The hacker yawned theatrically, keeping one eye on Adam, attempting to coax him into thinking faster.

Adam was unfazed. _Judging from his last duel with Dave, his hand is either full of Normal Monsters or he's waiting to unleash some kind of combo._ He took a moment, looking at the drawn Trap Card – Fine. _No point in stalling any longer._

"I activate Tribute to the Doomed." His voice was flat. "With this, I can discard a card and destroy a monster you control."

A Spell Card flashed before him; the second it did, tendrils of pale linen strips shot out, ensnaring the brown card until it was entirely wrapped. Once it was, a decayed purple hand rose up, grasping the mummified card and dragging to the depths below.

"Fancy," the hacker said, smiling. "I like you so far."

Adam remained quiet. He held up his arm. "Rise – Fallen Hero Burstinatrix!"

Small embers puffed out the Duel Disk, growing into full, swirling flames. As the tornado of fire cooled, a woman leapt out, dancing onto the ground. Her finned gray helmet widely spread out over her shoulders, and her red tank-top matched the tint of her mask. (**1200**/800)

"Ooh, a lady's man, aren't we?" The hacker winked, then raised his eyebrows in intrigue. "And a _Fallen_ deck, that's a rare sight indeed!"

Adam waved his arm across his torso. "Fallen Hero Burstinatrix – attack him directly!"

Igniting her hands ablaze, Burstinatrix touched her wrists together in an 'X', slashing them through the air, projecting flames at the hacker in one clean shot.

The hacker yelped, quickly adjusting his hair. [Deck Hacker LP: (8000 - 6800)]

"I'll set two more cards face-down and end my turn," Adam said, never acknowledging the hacker's reactions.

_Two cards left in-hand_, he thought, gripping them tighter. _I need to keep hand advantage in case he manages to plays that illegal card early._ He watched his opponent draw, in that stupid, condescending manner. _But even if he does, he'll claim control over _my _deck._

"Hey, Dave," Josh whispered. Dave nodded to say that he heard, but never looked away from the duel. "Adam doesn't seem to be letting this guy get to him. You think he has a shot, right?"

Dave shrugged. "Maybe. He's good, but if they switch decks it'll become an entirely different game."

"What if he beats him before that happens?" Josh asked.

Dave considered this; the shadow from his cap covering his downcast gaze. Throughout his duel, the hacker managed to stall until the game shifted into his favor. Technically that could've been a fluke, but then he also won at least two games before that…

Dave lifted his gaze, the shadows receding back into his hairline. "No chance."

"My turn again, then!" The hacker laughed. "Ah, this is perfect! Enchanting Fitting Room!"

The red shower curtain appeared over the hacker's head, rippling from its golden rings with the breeze. [Deck Hacker LP: (6800 - 6000)]

"So, let's see what we got here." He slid out the top four cards, fanning them. Greed glittered in his eyes. "Perfect! All four get summoned!" He looked to Adam. "And not only that – three of them are Mokey-Mokeys!"

Dave gritted his teeth. Josh watched Matt and Timmy shudder as the rectangular angels flopped onto the field. (300/**200**) [x3]

"And with them joins Doron!"

The humanoid creature waltzed out its replicated card, the black silk tightly wrapped around its body. (**900**/500)

Adam observed it. _Wait a minute – Attack Position?_ His stare focused on the hacker's hand. The thought struck him like lightning; his stare sharpened. _I knew it!_

"Now I'll activate this – Encouragement!"

With a storm of static, the Spell Card materialized and, after a few moments of noise and sparks, stabilized into a solid image.

Josh grimaced; he could feel the others do the same.

Especially Dave.

"This allows me to discard two Normal Monsters whose total Levels are equal to or less than five. Then their combined ATK power gets added to Doron's!"

He presented the cards – Frog the Jam and Candle of Fate – before sliding them into the Graveyard. A blue-ish green aura subdued Doron, eventually empowering it, turning its once green eyes crimson-red. (**900 - 2200**/500 - 1600)

Dave let out an audible growl. Josh turned to him, concerned.

"Now, attack the lovey lady!"

Doron, grasping the power of the aura in its palm, dashed at its target, preparing a punch. Burstinatrix sidestepped to dodge, kicking at Doron with a flaming foot. Reflexively, Doron shot up his hand, catching the hero's leg, which caused her to gasp from surprise. At last, Doron drew back its fist, slamming it into the woman's body, shattering it instantly.

Adam's expression barely changed. [Adam LP: (8000 - 7000)]

The hacker basked in this small victory, pretending to thank the crowd for their imagined support. "And that's all for now! But don't worry – I've got plenty more saved for later!"

"I'm really starting to hate this guy," Matt said. Josh, Dave, and Timmy nodded.

Adam lifted a card off his deck. _Just what I needed._ He held it near the red slot, pressing a button near one of his Spell/Trap cards. "I activate Fine to discard two cards."

"Ah, the typical style of a Fallen deck," the hacker mused. "I gotta tell ya, I've actually never seen anyone put one together. You must be pretty rich!"

A heartbeat lashed at Adam's chest. He subtly inhaled through his nose.

"Rise – " He snapped his arm up; a rugged sphere flung out " – Fallen Hero Clayman!"

With that last word, the sphere exploded, expanding into the bulky figure with large, blocky arms. (800/**2000**)

"Hey, don't ignore me here! I'm fascinated with this deck of yours, man!" the hacker, for once, said this somewhat angrily. "You _gotta_ tell me how you managed to get all those cards! That's a pretty impressive feat – even for a scumbag like me!"

Adam lowered his eyebrows; frowned. "End turn."

"Don't be like that!" The hacker crossed his arms. "Alright, I'm putting this duel on hold until you tell me how you got all these rare cards!"

The crowd turned to him, awaiting his answer.

Adam's stare remained cold. He crossed his own arms.

"No."

"C'mon!" the hacker shouted, throwing his arms in the air.

_What's going on?_ Josh thought. _Why's Adam being so stubborn about this?_

Dave watched Adam's face, saw the lone stand of red hair resting beside his right eye. _Maybe I was right after all,_ he thought. _Is Adam a thief?_

"I don't got all day here!" The hacker waved his arms around. "It's just a simple question! What? Need to be Mr. Secretive to impress the ladies?"

Adam shook his head; the red stand flipped to the opposite side. "You don't need to know anything about me. Just duel."

"Well, now you've only piqued my interest further!" the hacker shouted.

Adam didn't react.

"This is so weird," Timmy said. "At first this guy seemed like such a strong adult, but now he's acting like an insecure child."

Dave and Matt agreed. Josh examined Adam's stance; he seemed to be closing himself off from the world around him the longer this dragged out.

_"Another grain of salt," Adam muttered. He sighed. "Add that to the mountain already there."_

_ Adam… what kind of mountain are you dealing with?_

The hacker groaned, sighed. "Alright, in that case I'll ask a simpler question." He paused, pointing a finger at his opponent. "What's your name, kid? You can at least tell me that, right?"

Adam stared at the ground before him. Darkness laid there, cast from the shadow of his Fallen Hero monster. He seemed to be pondering over the question.

Slowly, almost cautiously, Adam raised his gaze. "…Adam Prince," he mumbled.

"There, was that so hard?" the hacker smiled again. "Well, now that that's out of the way – my draw!" He glanced at it, then put it with the others. "Doron – destroy his Fallen Hero Clayman!"

Followed by the cheers of its fellow Mokey-Mokey, Doron ran towards the kneeling Clayman, holding its palm near its neck. When it drew close, Doron thrust it forward, but Clayman reacted – just as the power for the aura gathered in Doron's hand, the bulky hero grasped onto its wrist, stopping the momentum of the attack cold.

"What th–"

"Fallen Hero Clayman's effect," Adam said. "I'll banish him to take down your monster! Go – Clay Grapple!"

As commanded, Clayman snagged Doron's other arm, lifting it into the air as it stood up. Pulling the monster's two limbs away from its body, Doron began to groan in submission. Clayman didn't stop – once it was sure Doron was immobilized, the hero jumped into the air, hugging Doron close, then slammed into the ground with a violent _thump_.

Dust gathered from the attack, leaving a digital crack on the floor. But no trace of the two monsters remained.

"Well," the hacker said. "That's a bit of a setback. Oh well, no harm done."

"Not quite," Adam barked. "When Clayman destroys a monster with Clay Grapple, you take 800 damage."

"Wha– huh?!" [Deck Hacker LP: (6000 - 5200)] The hacker shook his head. "Whatever. I can spare to lose a couple of cards. Anyway, I'll set a monster face-down and end my turn."

Adam drew silently.

"And now he's back to being the strong adult," Timmy whispered.

Matt shook his head. "I don't get it either."

Josh listened to them, pretending to concentrate on the duel.

_I've got a small advantage, but his field presence is still incredibly strong._ Adam eyed the one face-down card floating by his right foot. _No monsters and a single face-down vs. his three weak Normal monsters and another face-down monster._ He stared at the brown card. _The chances of that monster being a threat are low – he doesn't seem to carry any Effect Monsters at all. That way, he basically guarantees that his opponent's monsters will be able to run over all obstacles for him. Meanwhile, he uses his stall and illegal Spell Cards to charge ahead as necessary._ He hesitated. _Still, that doesn't mean it can't be a high-DEF monster._

In a passing motion, Adam quickly glanced at the hacker's left hand (the right hand, however, was once again at the hacker's mouth, indicating his boredom). _One card,_ Adam thought. _Okay, chances of a sudden comeback are unlikely, even if he manages to take my deck next turn._ He looked at his own hand, noting his most recent card. _Let's see._ _Graceful Charity'll give me another opportunity to send my Fallen monsters to the Graveyard, and maybe even give me more ways to take down his line of defenses._ He looked at his choices. One other card in hand. _Fallen Vorse Raider_…

"Got it," Adam said aloud.

The hacker perked his head up, seemingly awakened. "Thank god."

"First I'll activate Graceful Charity, so I draw three cards and discard two."

"I think we know how the card works, thank you," the hacker teased. "Anything else?"

"Plenty," Adam said. A card ejected from his Graveyard. "Rise – Fallen Vorse Raider!"

A card frame materialized in front of him; from it, the behemoth warrior proudly raised its axe as it took its post. (**1900**/1200)

"Fallen Vorse Raider – attack his face-down monster!"

The raider held up its axe so that the two blades were parallel to the ground, then began spinning it rapidly as it ran at the monster.

"And, since your monster's in Defense Position, it gets destroyed automatically!"

Just as the card started to raise itself, Fallen Vorse Raider sliced it to bits, reducing it to mere bits of paper.

The hacker smirked. "Nice one."

"I end," Adam said, staring at the two cards he held. _Fallen Hero Sparkman and Fallen Alligator's Sword._ He furrowed his eyebrows. _Not good enough. At this rate I won't be able to stop his deck fast enough._

"Alrighty," the hacker said. "I'll keep it nice and simple."

Another brown-backed card materialized next to the three Mokey-Mokeys.

"Your turn." The hacker smiled coyly.

_C'mon Adam,_ Josh thought. _You just need to break through this guy's defenses and you'll win!_

"My draw." Adam looked at the drawn card and, dissatisfied, held up his arm again. "Return to us – Fallen Hero Burstinatrix!"

Another wisp of fire flung out of Adam's Duel Disk, expanding until Burstinatrix emerged from the flames. (**1200**/800)

"You can guess what's gonna happen next," Adam said, pointing ahead. "Fallen Vorse Raider – attack his face-down monster. Fallen Hero Burstinatrix – attack the leftmost Mokey-Mokey!"

Both monsters leapt from their posts – Burstinatrix hovering slightly above Vorse Raider – as they raced to the other side of the field. The three Mokey-Mokeys scrambled, panicking like small children during a thunder storm. As the raider slashed its axe down, Burstinatrix launched a flame-fueled kick; the force of the slash sent the paper card into the flames, where it, along with one of the rectangular angels, disintegrated into nothing.

"Go," Adam snapped.

"Ah." The hacker drew. "That might've been the fastest turn you've had so far," he scolded. "A face-down card and another set monster should do."

"In that case, I'll speed things up." Adam drew, pulling up the card vertically before shouting, "Time to bring out one of my favorite monsters!"

Small thunderclouds gathered overhead, casting a shadow over the playing field. They trickled with static, sporadically giving off light with each zip and spark.

Josh smiled. _Here we go!_

Burstinatrix crossed her arms, jumping into the air.

"Quite a light show, Mr. Prince," the hacker mused. "But it's nothing too impressive."

"We'll see about that. I offer Burstinatrix to summon the mighty electrical fiend." He gazed up at the sky, bellowing, "Rise – Fallen Summoned Skull!"

A clap of thunder served as a harbinger for the lightning that showered down; Burstinatrix flew towards it, willingly allowing itself to become bathed in electricity until its body disintegrated into energy. Once it did, the lightning continued towards the floor, striking the spot it once stood. Following a gust of wind, the clouds dispersed, and a muscular demon unfolded its blue wings, howling a powerful roar. (**2500**/1200)

"Now that's something," the hacker said.

"You have no idea what you're in for," Adam said darkly. A shadow vaguely cast over his eyes, veiling the strand of red hair. "I'm not letting you Deck Hackers get away with attacking innocent people. Especially teenagers."

Fallen Summoned Skull and Fallen Vorse Raider lifted their heads; their eyes gave a detached, unforgiving stare.

Adam dropped his gaze to the ground, allowing the shadow to consume his face.

Josh watched on; unconsciously, his mouth fell agape.

"This is what you get." His words were soft and quiet, yet still clear and stern. Adam lifted his head; the shadow receded. "Attack!"

Awakened, Fallen Vorse Raider leapt up, slashing at the brown card. In its wake, Fallen Summoned Skull unleashed an array of lightning, trailing towards the one of the two Mokey-Mokeys. It let out a shriek that sent chills through the crowds' spines.

"And when Fallen Summoned Skull attacks a Defense Position monster, you take piercing Battle Damage."

Josh stepped forward, proudly clutching his fist. "Go Adam!"

The crowd smiled at Josh's gestured. Hope seemed to be returning to their gloomy faces.

"Nice try!"

Before the lightning reached the tiny angel, a triad of priestesses miraculously appeared. They held up their hands reverently, deflecting the lightning and axe with a mythical force.

The crowd gasped, dumbfounded.

Adam peered past the three priestesses, spotting a Trap Card. _Argh, how did I overlook that!_ He clenched his teeth, mentally kicking himself.

"Sorry, Waboku stops your attack cold." The three priestesses vanished. "I'm guessing it's my move."

Reluctantly – angrily – Adam nodded.

"Don't look so glum." The hacker smiled enthusiastically again. His grin made Dave cringe. "Another monster, another face-down card, and it's back to you."

The brown card closest to the hacker materialized with a sharp rainbow glare. Josh peered over at it, then turned to Dave. Within a moment of looking into his eyes, Josh could tell that Dave saw the same thing he did. They both looked to Adam, who watched it as well.

_It doesn't matter, if I don't act now it could be too late._ Holding out his arm, he called, "Rise again – my Fallen Hero Burstinatrix!"

A pillar of flames burst between the two muscular monsters, extinguishing as Burstinatrix spread its arms. (**1200**/800) She snapped her fingers, setting her hands ablaze.

"Ah, lookie there, the lady's back again." The hacker raised his arms. "She just doesn't know when to quit!"

"Shut it," Adam scolded him. "I'll use Fallen Hero Burstinatrix's effect. By paying 500 Life Points I get to target a monster you control and return it to your hand." He lifted his index finger accusingly. "So take back your Mokey-Mokey!"

Burstinatrix pushed its hands out, holding the sphere of fire from above. [Adam LP: (7000 - 6500)] With a firm thrust, a stream of flames shot out, striking the small angel full-force. As it spastically waved its stubby arms, the creature reformed into a piece of cardboard.

The hacker caught it. "Hmph."

Dave felt a nudge of an elbow. He turned, seeing Josh. "Yeah?"

"Why do you think he didn't use that effect before?"

Dave pondered, then snapped his fingers. "He's probably trying to conserve his Life Points."

Josh nodded. A thought stung him, _So, Adam doesn't think he's gonna win in time…_

"Now – Fallen Vorse Raider, attack his one of his face-down monsters!"

The raider leapt up, slamming down onto the face-down card with a mighty heave. It burst into tiny fragments before a breath could be taken.

"Fallen Summoned Skull – attack his last face-down monster!"

Fallen Summoned Skull expanded its wings and curled its claws, groaning as electricity rippled around its body. After a couple of seconds of charging, it unleashed a bolt through its horns, growling. The monster on the receiving end rose from its hiding spot – a small grasshopper called Basic Insect. (500/**700**) It had no time to react before the lightning slammed into it, leaving a scorch mark where the bug once was.

The hacker stared at the spot, watching a thin string of smoke rise above his head. [Deck Hacker LP: (5200 - 3400)]

Upon seeing the numbers drop, Adam regained his confidence. _Hmph. Guess that card was a bluff after all._ He pressed on.

"Fallen Hero Burstinatrix – direct attack!"

Burstinatrix kicked itself off the ground, flipping into a cart-wheel-like motion. Its left foot caught on fire; the flames arched as the woman spun.

The hacker gazed up from his empty field and, to the crowd's alarm, laughed maliciously.

"I've got you now!" He ripped out his face-down card, flicking it to the other side. "You fell right into my trap." The hacker's eyes scanned those around him without moving his head; his grin widened. "And now _they're_ gonna pay the price!"

As the face-down card rose, several neon-purple wires shot out from behind it, smashing into Burstinatrix, forcing it to retreat. Adam watched the wires flail amongst the crowd aimlessly, like an octopus's limbs. "The hell is this," he whispered.

The hacker turned around, addressing the audience. "Now, which of you would like to volunteer!" The crowd didn't answer; instead, they slowly stepped backwards, trying to avoid the wires. With false dissatisfaction, the hacker faced Adam and shrugged. "Seems like they don't care much about me." He grinned again, his pupils flashed. "Let's change that."

In a violent explosion of movements, the wires lashed out from the street, whipping themselves at the crowd. People screamed, others fell onto the ground trying to duck. As this occurred, Adam glowered.

"You bastard!" he shouted. "This is between me and you! Don't involve them!"

The hacker chuckled (somehow, Adam heard him over the loud shouts and whipping sounds of the wires). "Don't you get it yet, Mr. Prince?" He boasted out his chest. "I'm a Deck Hacker – I can do whatever the hell I want!"

The declaration seemed to strengthen the wires' assault; now they began lashing at individuals, wrapping themselves around their limbs and torsos. A young girl yelped, extending a hand to her mother before being forcefully ripped away. A business man failed to evade another set of wires; his briefcase thumped to the ground in the process.

Josh and Dave defensively held up their arms, hoping to fend off any wires that came towards them. "I don't believe this!" Josh shouted, "I knew these Deck Hackers were power crazy but this just takes it to a whole new level!"

Dave ducked as a wire shot near him, grabbing his hat. "We can't worry about that now – we just have to –"

"Look out!"

The two darted their eyes to the side; Timmy, shouting to his brother Matt, pointed to a set of five wires, each launching themselves at him. Matt froze, realizing he had no way out.

Instinctively, at the last second, Josh lifted Matt up, tossing him to the side. Matt flew into Timmy, knocking them both into neighboring bystanders. Before Dave even knew what happened, the wires ensnared Josh's wrists. He yanked his arms away but the neon-purple wires proved to be stronger than steel. (How's that possible? They're only holograms!) Still, he willed himself to keep trying. More wires came at him, grasping his shins, straining his body until his diaphragm became crushed by yet another. By the time Dave shoved his way through the confusion, Josh had already been whisked away.

"_Josh_!"

Suddenly the remaining wires stopped, reeling back into the card where they came from. Josh hovered over the ground, joined by four others. He weakly glanced at their faces – tired and panicked – before looking ahead.

At Adam.

"Wha… what is this?" Dave asked. Timmy and Matt stood up, mouths agape.

The hacker held out his arms, raising them high above his head. "Behold the power of my Spectator Shield!"

_Spectator Shield…_ Josh glanced among the crowd again; he realized he had been lifted to a higher plane than they were – he could see the tops of their heads, yet was still low enough to see their expressions. Fear, concern, agony; all knowing that they were helpless against the superior power of the Deck Hackers.

He straightened his head, peering down at Adam again. He saw the duelist glowering, yet he couldn't tell exactly what he was thinking. Josh gulped. Before the duel started, he thought Adam was the only one capable of helping them.

But that was before the threat became real.

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… Data Found:

**Fallen Hero Burstinatrix**

[Fire]

[Warrior/Tuner]

(1200/800)

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can Special Summon itself from the Graveyard. You can only Special Summon 1 "Fallen" monster this way per turn. If a non-"Fallen" monster exists in your Graveyard, you may not Special Summon this card this way. This card's name is also treated as "Elemental Hero Burstinatrix". Once per turn, by paying 500 Life Points, you can select 1 monster on the field and return it to its owner's hand.

**Fallen Vorse Raider**

[Dark]

[Beast-Warrior/Effect]

(1900/1200)

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can Special Summon itself from the Graveyard. You can only Special Summon 1 "Fallen" monster this way per turn. If a non-"Fallen" monster exists in your Graveyard, you may not Special Summon this card this way. This card's name is also treated as "Vorse Raider". When this card attacks a Defense Position monster, destroy it automatically without applying Damage Calculation.

**Trusted Ally**

[Spell/Equip]

This card can only be activated during a Tag Duel. Equip this card to a monster you or your partner controls. That monster may be used in any instance by either player.


	21. Chapter Twenty

**Chapter Twenty**

From the rooftops, a man loomed over the city street like a dark cloud haunting a sunny day. The man's sharp, black hair fanned over his ears like the tips of feathers, stopping just as they reached his earlobes. He sighed, bored; he could barely make out exactly what was happening in the duel below, but the purple wires flailing at the crowd revealed one thing.

An illegal Trap Card had been activated.

Not just an illegal Trap Card, but one this man had designed himself.

He looked away from the street, gazing at the rooftop parallel to the one he was standing on. On the other side, he could see another one of his accomplices, still analyzing the game below. They had been watching since they received the report: their target was there.

The man returned his attention to the duel, pulling out a phone and holding it to his ear.

"It's Jacob," he said, pressing the phone against his jet-black hair. "We can confirm that, yes, Adam is indeed the opponent playing against our underling. We should be getting a lock on his Card Analyzer's signal soon."

He listened intently as the voice gave its commands.

"No, the underling is completely unaware. If he uses the wron–" the voice cut him off, apparently asking a question.

Jacob raised an eyebrow.

"The crowd?"

He leaned over the side, surveying the dozens of people surrounding the two players. The voice had asked if he could see two college-aged teenagers; one wearing a camouflage hat and the other wearing a red sweatshirt. The boy wearing the hat was harder to find, since he was hidden amongst a wall of people, but the boy in the red sweatshirt was easy to spot.

He was one of the victims taken by the Trap.

"Yes, those two are here. What do they have to do with anything?"

The answer came almost immediately.

"I see." Jacob hesitated, then said, "Alright, I'll make the necessary preparations."

* * *

><p>Adam gazed dryly at the five innocent people hanging above the field. The neon-purple wires gripped them tighter, causing their eyes to wince then widen at the thought that they could potentially fall.<p>

Josh, among these five, tried to keep his breathing steady. He slowly curled his fingers into a fist as if he were trying to break the wires with his mind. Although he couldn't move his arms freely, he managed to force them closer to his body so he didn't feel as exposed. He stared at Adam's field; three monsters – Fallen Hero Burstinatrix (**1200**/800), Fallen Vorse Raider (**1900**/1200), and Fallen Summoned Skull (**2500**/1200) – all of which looked up at them, pondering whether or not to strike. Josh looked back to Adam, who just stared at the face-down card on the floor. He could see it in Adam's eyes – he wasn't sure what to do.

The wires lowered the five hostages so that they were just a foot off the ground. Adam averted his gaze from the face-down card to his opponent, whose grin was wiser than ever.

"Judging from the looks on your faces –" the hacker surveyed the crowd once again, " – I can tell your loving my new Spectator Tokens! (0/**?**) [x5]"

"Spectator Tokens?" Dave whispered to himself. He stepped closer; Timmy and Matt helped each other to their feet. They were now directly in front of the duel – a good five feet from Adam's right side. "What the hell are these Deck Hackers up to?"

"Wait a second," Adam said, looking at his Card Analyzer. "This monitor says they have variable DEF." Adam's face strained. "What the hell does that mean?"

"Easy," the hacker said, waving a hand. "They gain 500 DEF for each Spectator Token out on the field. And since I count five, that means they all have 2500 DEF!" (0/**? - 2500**) [x5] "Lucky for you, they'll get weaker as each one goes down, so don't worry about holding back!"

Adam looked at the five hostages again. He sent his gaze downcast, once again on the face-down card. The strand of red hair wavered in front of his eyes.

"Burstinatrix."

Burstinatrix turned to Adam, surprised, and waited for an order.

"Cancel your attack." Adam lifted his head. "I end my Battle Phase and move to my Main Phase 2."

"Oh, so you're not going to attack then?" The hacker clapped his hands. "Marvelous! The longer we wait, the sooner I'll be able to use all those rare Fallen monsters against you!"

Dave grimaced, looking to his Duel Disk. The empty deckslot matched the void in his chest.

Adam lowered his wrist. _This is ridiculous._ _I gotta find a way around this wall he's built. But…_ He felt the gazes of the hostages pierce through him. _I can't risk attacking innocent people._ Adam lifted his wrist again, typing into his Card Analyzer.

The hacker craned his neck upward, peering past his captives. "Just end your turn. Spectator Shield won't come up in the Card Database 'cause it's the only copy in existence! No one but me owns one, and my superiors made sure that only _I_ would be able to access it!"

"That doesn't mean I can't destroy it," Adam pressed a final button; the screen shone red. "You haven't taken my cards yet, so until then I'll be able to do what I please."

Adam brought his hands to his sides, clutching them into fists. He boasted his chest out as Burstinatrix and Vorse Raider began to glow.

"I tune my Fallen Hero Burstinatrix with my Fallen Vorse Raider in order to Synchro Summon the dragon of ultimate potential!"

Burstinatrix and Vorse Raider lit up in an undulating aura of red and black light. Seven circles spiraled past them, creating a pathway for the two monsters. As traveled through, their bodies deformed and separated into seven stars, each one connecting to a corresponding circle.

"Rise – my loyal Fallen Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

_Fallen Red-Eyes!_ Josh watched on as a beam explosively blasted through the tunnel of circles, causing a rush of wind to flow over the area. He clutched his fists. He could see the shadow of the black dragon, casting itself over the muscular Fallen Summoned Skull. Then he could hear it – the dragon's low growl acted as a harbinger of its quick, swooping descent. It landed beside Fallen Summoned Skull, eyes glowing crimson-red. Josh felt his heart beat at a thunderous rate; his hairs stood on end as the dragon's shriek broke through the sky. (**2400**/2000)

The hacker laughed. "How generous. You offer your two weak monsters and send them to the Graveyard just so you can give a _stronger_ monster for me to use later!" His laughter turned into a condescending cackle. "Why thank you!"

"Not quite," Adam spat. "Whenever a monster is used for the Synchro Summon of a Fallen monster, they get banished instead." He took the two cards off his Duel Disk, casting them to the side. "So that means you _won't_ be able to summon them at all."

"I see," the hacker said. He put a thumb on his chin. "But what about the matter at hand, hmm?" He gestured towards the hostages.

Adam clenched his teeth. "I… end my turn."

"Thought so. My draw. Wonder if it's Bartering of the Kings!" The hacker held the card to eye level, then frowned. "Well, that's disappointing." He shrugged. "I activate Dian Keto the Cure Master, which grants me 1000 extra Life Points."

[Adam LP: (6500)] [Deck Hacker LP: (3400 - 4400)]

_That won't do much, but if I can't fix this fast enough, that 1000 Life Points could make a huge difference to this game._

Adam shook his head. "My turn." A useless monster – Fallen Flame Swordsman. _Why isn't my deck giving me the cards I need?_ He looked over his Card Analyzer again, opening a command window. _It's never let me down before, why now?_

The hacker sighed after a minute of Adam scanning through screens.

_Alright, I guess I just have to wait._ "I end my turn."

"Good." A face-down card flashed at the hacker's feet. "Your turn."

Josh glanced behind him, turning as far as he could without having the wires tear at his flesh. _This game is going so much faster now, but at the same time they're locked in a complete stand-still._ He turned back to Adam, who drew again. _Please, please don't lose. You've proven to be so good 'til now, how is this any different?_

Dave dropped his gaze, gripping his hat as a small breeze crossed the field. _Adam's never faced a Deck Hacker before..._

Adam drew. _Damnit, this isn't working._ "I end."

"Alrighty," the hacker said, drawing. He let out an exasperated sigh. "And I end. I swear, this is getting more boring by the minute."

_Boring?! I'm hanging four feet in the air!_ Josh thought angrily. This only made him more aware of his situation; nervous sweatdrops glistened on his forehead.

Adam drew. _Spark Blaster, _he thought, looking over his hand again. _Just one more turn._

"I end."

"Right." The hacker placed his hand on his deck. "I swear, this _better_ be Bartering." He drew, held it up. "Nope. But it'll save some work for later. I activate Raigeki!"

Sharp streaks of lightning rained down in between the hostages and Adam, frying the two Fallen monsters in a thunderous explosion. Adam's eyes bulged out involuntarily. Josh and the others gasped at the abruptness of their deaths. Summoned Skull dove to protect the dragon, trying to absorb the lightning with its claws. But the lightning soon overpowered the fiend, and the two monsters disintegrated into dust.

"Holy shit," Matt said.

"This isn't good," Timmy said, looking to Dave.

Dave turned to the hostages again, noticing how terrified everyone seemed.

Except for Josh.

Adam allowed his heart to slow before reaching for his deck. He looked to the hostages once more before drawing. He made eye contact with Josh, who seemed to be saying, _"I know you have a way out of this."_

"I guess it's my turn." Adam drew.

"Well?" the hacker asked.

Adam thought for a moment, glancing at his hand again, before bringing his arms to his side.

"I end my turn."

The crowd audibly expressed their shock.

"Really? Nothing? You're certainly not the most interesting person here." The hacker positioned himself to draw. "My tur–"

"Hold on," Adam stated. The red strand raised itself in the wind. "I have seven cards in my hand, so I have to discard one." He fanned them again, pulling one out with care, then slotting it into his Graveyard.

"You done yet?"

Adam nodded.

"Good." The hacker drew. "Nope, not it. Guess I have to end." He sighed. "Ya know, I'm getting kinda bored. Why don't you just attack these guys so we can get some action here."

Everyone tensed. Josh inhaled slowly to calm himself, but the sweat dripping off his nose indicated otherwise.

"Oh, we're gonna get some action."

The crowd perked up; everyone darted their eyes to Adam, who pulled his next card. Adam lifted his eyes, addressing the hostages.

"It's time for me to set you all free!" He shouted, raising his arm. "Rise – Fallen Hero Sparkman!"

Blue lightning trickled around his Duel Disk's Life Point meter, shooting out in all directions. The lightning gathered together and hit the ground, washing over Adam like a curtain. It quickly flashed away, and Sparkman took its place. (**1600**/1400)

"What the hell do you expect to do with him? He's not nearly strong enough to take on _any_ of my Spectator Tokens."

Timmy and Matt turned to each other.

"What do you think he's planning?" Timmy asked.

"I dunno, but he seems pretty sure of himself."

Dave listened to them, never taking his eyes off the Fallen Hero. _He better be._

The hacker laughed. "Go on, try to attack. Not only will you hurt them but you'll take 900 damage as a result. What a stupid idea!"

"I never said I was attacking," Adam stated. "I activate this!" Extending his arm, he presented a Spell. "Spark Blaster!"

A blue, laser gun materialized around Sparkman's arm. It grasped onto the gun's handle, using its electrical powers to charge it.

"So how much ATK does it gain from that thing?" The hacker asked.

"None."

The hacker raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding, right?"

Adam shook his head. "Like I said, I don't plan on attacking. Instead, I'll use Spark Blaster's effect!"

Sparkman aimed the gun at the neon wires; a whirring noise emitted as static rippled out of its sides. The hostages trembled nervously, trying to avoid getting hit, but their tensions eased when the hero lowered its gun. Clicking the trigger rapidly, three shots burst out in quick succession. Upon striking the wires, static rippled again, spreading all the way up to the hostages.

"What the hell are yo–"

"Unfortunately –" Adam continued "– Spark Blaster is only good for three uses. So instead I'll use my Fallen Hero Sparkman's special ability!"

After firing the final shot, the gun shattered, allowing Sparkman to use its newly-freed hand to charge up a ball of electrical energy. Flicking its wrist, Sparkman threw the ball at the wires again, causing them to squirm. The audience gazed up.

Dave adjusted his cap.

"Both Spark Blaster and Fallen Hero Sparkman have the same effect – they can change the Battle Position of any monster on the field." Adam addressed the hacker, "And as you know, when your Spectator Tokens are switched to Attack Position, they're automatically destroyed!"

The hacker reacted as if he had been punched in the chest. "How did yo–?!"

"So that means four of your 'hostages' are free!"

The wires' strong grip on the hostages loosened, seemingly going from steel to silk as the static raced across each one. They flopped to the ground, dropping the group of people in the process. After recovering from their fall, the four returned to the crowd, consulting their loved ones and peers.

Josh felt his wires weaken as well, but knew he hadn't been freed yet. He looked to the crowd – specifically Dave, Matt, and Timmy – before facing Adam.

Adam made eye contact with him – a look of reluctance shone in his pupils.

Josh held his breath.

"How the hell…" the hacker twitched, thrusting his arms back as he screamed. "How the hell did you know my card's weakness?!"

Adam trailed his eyes to him, then back to Josh. "With your other four Tokens gone, your last one is weakened by 2000 DEF points."

Josh felt the wires shift slightly. He could tell that they had a hard time holding him now. (0/**2500 - 500**) _That means he can destroy the last token – me – with his Fallen Hero! _He slowly smiled. _Then he can finally make his counterattack!_

"But as I said, I'm not going to attack an innocent person."

Josh's heart leapt. _But if he waits – _

Adam brought his hand to his side. "I end my tur–"

"Stop!" Josh yelled.

Everyone – including those celebrating the four hostages' freedom – abruptly became silent.

"You can't wait any longer!" he screamed, "Any moment that freak is gonna draw that card and you'll whole deck will be used against you!"

The hacker snickered.

"But Josh –"

"No! I'm not gonna let this guy get away with what he's done! If you lose this duel trying to protect me, I'll never forgive myself." Josh shifted his gaze, looking to Fallen Hero Sparkman. "Attack me! Once I'm out of the way he'll have nothing left!"

Everyone became silent again. Not even the wind blew as Josh's final words soaked into their skin. The former hostages quietly admired him – after spending the last few minutes cowering, the notion of taking a hit to save them was bold.

Adam's stare dropped to the floor.

The hacker grinned. "So, I guess that's a no." He prepared to draw. "In that case, I'll –"

"Alright Josh," Adam lifted his head again. He made eye contact with Josh once more. "Get ready."

Josh furrowed his brow, nodded.

"Fallen Hero Sparkman –"

Sparkman lifted its arms, charging up electrical spheres in its hands.

Josh gulped.

"– attack his final Spectator Token with Static Shockwave!"

Sparkman crossed its wrists into an 'X', then waved them across his torso. Two streaks of lightning shot upward, jaggedly flying through the air.

Dave felt his fingers tremble.

The lightning struck Josh full force, blasting the wires apart in one swift burst. Josh screamed as he fell, closing his eyes tight. He slammed onto the concrete with a thud, static rippling on his motionless body.

Dave rushed out to the field, closely followed by Matt and Timmy. They flipped him onto his back; Josh limply succumbed.

"Josh…" Dave whispered.

"Well, that was stupid," the hacker said, breaking the silence. "Now, if you'll allow me to continue."

"Ughh…"

Dave, shocked, jumped to his feet. Josh slowly lifted himself into a sitting position, rubbing his face. "That hurt like hell…"

"Josh!" Matt and Timmy shouted. The three helped him to his feet.

The crowd gave gasps of hope. They cheered and whistled for Josh as he stood up.

"Are you alright?" Dave asked.

"I'm fine, just a little beat up," Josh said. The others smiled. As they walked back towards the crowd, Josh faced Adam again. "Don't let him win."

Adam simply watched them go.

"Enough of this!" the hacker barked, pointing an accusing finger at Adam. "I dunno _how_ you got around my Spectator Shield, but there's no way in hell you're gonna get around this." He held out his drawn card. "Bartering of the Kings!"

The crowd's expressions unanimously became grave. Timmy and Matt gasped, while Josh and Dave gritted their teeth.

_I knew it,_ Josh thought.

_I owe you one, Josh._ Adam ejected his deck from his Duel Disk, somberly stepping towards the center of the field.

"Now, lemme see that Fallen deck!" the hacker shouted, greedily snatching it away. He tossed his own deck carelessly at Adam, who slotted it in with care.

Adam walked back behind Sparkman, pressing the auto-shuffle button on his Card Analyzer. _This fight would've been a lot harder if it wasn't for you._

"Alrighty!" the hacker said enthusiastically. "Let's see what we got here – I activate Card Destruction."

Adam glowered.

"Hope you like my gift, 'cause I certainly _love_ yours!" the hacker cackled.

Quietly, Adam fanned his cards together, shoving them into the Graveyard before sliding out six new cards.

_Four weak Normal Monsters,_ he thought. _If this is what I'm getting, then that must mean that this deck must be pretty bad._ He faced the crowd again, spotting Josh.

_But I'll find a way._

"Ah, wonderful!" the hacker mused, holding the cards with all ten fingers. "These Fallen cards are pure gold! And once I win, they'll be all _mine_!" He cackled.

"Damnit, how the hell did I lose to an idiot like him?" Dave curled his fingers into fists. His veins popped.

"Easy Dave," Josh said. "Adam's got this."

"Alrighty!" The hacker lifted up his Duel Disk, scrolling through a new screen on his Card Analyzer. "Let's see what kind of monsters ya got here."

_Adam's lucky that his cards are restricted to the Graveyard, so that Deck Hacker can't just summoned them as he draws like he did with me._ Dave thought, flexing his hands. "Adam's good but I don't think he can stop his own deck with the cards he has now. He doesn't have control over the game anymore."

"Let's hope you're wrong," Matt said.

"Perfect! I'll summon this thing!" The hacker pressed a button and an armored, bipedal alligator appeared, swinging its blade. "Fallen Alligator's Sword (**1500**/1200)!"

Adam gritted his teeth.

"But that card's weaker than Sparkman, what's he thinking?" Timmy asked Dave.

"That card probably has an effect."

"Two points to the losers in the corner!" the hacker laughed.

Timmy, Dave, and those around them cringed angrily.

"When Fallen Alligator's Sword declares an attack, it gets an additional 500 ATK for the duration of the battle. Now, how 'bout we put it into use?"

Fallen Alligator's Sword pushed off the ground with its heels, hurling itself at Fallen Hero Sparkman. (**1500 - 2000**/1200) Sparkman shot out an electrical blast at it, but the bipedal alligator deflected the blast with its sword, never losing its momentum. Soon Fallen Alligator's Sword flew past the hero, and Sparkman dropped to its knees, shattering into digital fragments.

Adam covered his eyes with his sleeve as the fragments blew past his face. [Adam LP: (6500 - 6100)] He pulled his arm away, watching Fallen Alligator's Sword return to the Deck Hacker's side (**2000 - 1500**/1200).

"Well well well, looks like I've successfully taken all of your Fallen cards away from you."

"Like that matters," Adam spat.

"Oh please. If you were here for the last three matches you would know by now." The hacker held up his wrist, pointing to his – Adam's – deck. "I've got everything you ever knew, and now you're stuck with cards that can hardly function. Face it, there's no chance that you're gonna beat your deck with those cards."

The crowd grew uneasy, mumbling to each other about the match.

While they did, Josh receded into his thoughts. _No, that's not right._ He shook his head, closing his eyes tightly. "That's not right at all!"

Josh stepped out from the crowd, and all eyes fell on him.

The hacker smirked. "You again?"

"You don't know anything about this game," Josh shouted. "I've been playing for a week and even I know that you can't just take _any_ card and call it your own. Players spend months, even years building their decks, pouring their hearts and souls into it, and that's something you can't take away!"

Dave perked up. That last sentence was said with him in mind.

"I don't know Adam very well either, but I know that only _he_ can use that deck that you claim to control, and I know that only _he_ can stop it." Josh glanced to his side. "Right Adam?"

Adam nodded. "Exactly." He faced the hacker again. "But there's one thing I need to get straight."

The hacker raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"I don't plan on defeating my deck during this duel."

The crowd was sent into mumbling confusion again. Even Josh lost some of his intensity with that statement.

"Bold words, but that's not how this game works," the hacker said.

"No, you're wrong." Adam shot an accusing finger his way. "I don't need to defeat my deck, when my plan is to defeat _you_!"

The noisy crowd became silent again.

"We'll see. Take your turn."

"Gladly." Adam drew. He stared at the card for a while, then lifted his eyes slowly. "Josh."

Josh's heart jumped. "Yeah?"

"This one's for you." Adam flipped the card with his thumb. "I activate Heart of the Underdog!"

_Heart of the Underdog?_ Dave stepped out of the crowd, joining Josh.

The Spell Card materialized on Adam's right; its imaged featured a normal person as he struggled to walk through the red force pushing him back.

"Hmph, like that's gonna do you any good."

"I think it will," Adam said. He turned to Josh again. "With Josh's heroic heart I'll defeat you in no time at all."

Josh felt his face turn red. It was only now that he realized everyone was staring at him. _My… heart?_

"Please, you need to draw a Normal Monster in order to trigger that card's effect. And that won't help you anyway. I added that card to make drawing Bartering of the Kings easier for me, now that I already used it Heart of the Underdog is basically worthless."

"You may think that now, but I know exactly how I'm going to win this duel."

The hacker crossed his arms. "Are ya done yet, Mr. Prince?"

"Not quite. I activate Vengeful Bog Spirit."

A gloomy fog shrouded the field; the crowd stepper slightly closer since the fog obstructed their vision.

"With this out, a monster has to wait a full turn after its summoning before it can declare an attack. Then I'll set a monster and end for now."

"'Bout time." The hacker drew. "Alrighty, no more mister nice guy. I'll revive Fallen Hero Sparkman from the Graveyard!"

Static gathered into a circular pattern, forming beside Fallen Alligator's Sword. It served as a vortex for the Fallen Hero to rise through as it absorbed the electricity and unleashed it back into the fog. (**1600**/1400)

"Vengeful Bog Spirit may be a good stall card, but it can't stop my monsters from activating their effects. Sparkman – switch that face-down monster into Attack Position!"

Willingly, Sparkman raised his arms as a mummy would, shooting out small jolts of lightning from its fingertips. They raced around the perimeter of Adam's face-down card, forcing it to flip over, uncovering the monster hidden underneath. The monster used its claws to pull its red fabric down, so that only its scrawny arms could be seen. (**600**/500)

"Ah, Curtain of the Dark Ones, a personal favorite." The hacker addressed Fallen Alligator's Sword. "Tear it apart like a good monster."

Fallen Alligator's Sword nodded, leaping up and slamming its blade down onto the tiny monster (**1500 - 2000**/1200). A groan emitted from under the fabric before it faded with a holographic glare.

Adam poised to draw. [Adam LP: (6100 - 4700)] "I'm guessing you're done?"

"For now, yes." The hacker smiled. "This shouldn't take much longer."

"We'll see." Adam held up the new card, dissatisfied to see it was a Trap. "I'll set another monster face-down as well as a backrow card and end my turn."

"You're making this too easy." The hacker pulled out a new card, flipping it over gleefully. "Perfect! Now get even _more_ Fallen cards into the Graveyard! I activate Card Destruction!"

Adam calmly slotted his cards into the graveyard, drawing three new cards. _Good, at least now I'll have better cards to work with._

"Ooooh, this one's a gem. I'll play Double Grave Ceremony!"

The declaration broke Adam's concentration, startling him so much that he nearly dropped his cards. Two tombstones rose on either side of the hacker, gaining an eerie glow that matched with the haunting atmosphere of the fog.

"Judging from your reaction I can tell that you know this card well." He gave a wide, condescending smile. "But for those at home who don't, I'll gladly explain. With this card out, I can summon an additional 'Fallen' monster from my Graveyard each turn. And now, without further ado – I'll bring back the Fallen Hero Avian I just discarded!"

Through the fog above, the green winged-hero descended quickly, landing with its palm to the floor. (**1000**/1000) It stood up, joined by its two comrades.

"Now we'll put Double Grave Ceremony to use to revive the all-powerful Fallen Summoned Skull!"

Adam clenched his jaw.

Lightning burst out of both tombstones simultaneously, shocking Avian to the point where it no longer had any physical features. Instead of deteriorating, the body expanded, growing stronger and wider until it took the demonic shape of Fallen Summoned Skull. Its pupils glimmered as blue lightning trickled along its biceps. (**2500**/1200)

"Lucky for you, the fog prevents it from attacking. Otherwise that'd be a huge dent in your Life Points." The hacker shrugged. "Either way. Fallen Sparkman – change his monster to Attack Position and Fallen Alligator's Sword'll go in for the kill."

Sparkman raised its hands again, firing strings of electricity into the face-down card and moving it like a puppet master. The cutesy little angel reluctantly came out of its hiding spot, failing to resist by pulling its tiny wings down. (**800**/500)

"Happy Lover? Now that's desperation! Anyway, attack!"

Fallen Alligator's Sword pointed its blade at its target, tossing it at the cowering angel with a flick of its wrist.

"Not so fast, I activate my Negate Attack Trap Card!"

Just as Happy Lover ducked down in tears, a portal opened up and swallowed the sword. A moment later, the sword fell from the sky and Fallen Alligator's Sword caught it without question.

"Lucky move, but you've only delayed the damage, my friend."

"Hey, Adam has that card in his deck," Josh said. "You think he slipped it in somehow?"

"Nah," Dave answered. "It's a common defense card. Given the stall-based nature of the Deck Hacker's deck, he probably has a bunch of cards just like it."

_ Still, _Dave thought, _the fact that Adam drew a card he was familiar with during a crucial turn must count for something._

"My draw." Adam slid a card out, smiled, then flipped it. "I activate Heart of the Underdog. By revealing Ancient Jar, I get to draw again."

"Like I said, that's not gonna do you any good."

"I'll set a monster face-down and switch Happy Lover to Defense Position."

A brown-backed card materialized alongside Happy Lover, with another card appearing underneath it, serving as a platform for it to land on.

"I end."

"Let's spice things up, shall we?" The hacker moved dramatically, shoving a Spell Card toward his opponent. "I activate Graceful Charity to discard three cards and draw two!" He fanned out the cards, considered them carefully, then tossed two away. "Alrighty! Time for some fun! Sparkman, change Happy Lover's Battle Position again please!"

Despite Happy Lover's efforts to resist, Sparkman successfully ripped the platform out from underneath Happy Lover's feet, causing it to flip dizzily into the air.

"And now for my favorite part! I'll tribute my Fallen Alligator's Sword as well as Fallen Hero Sparkman in order to summon 'the dragon of ultimate potential'!" the hacker mocked.

"What an insult," Dave whispered. "Using your opponent's favorite monster against them is bad enough, but this guy is just an asshole."

"Yeah, I can only imagine how that fee–" Josh broke off. His gaze fell upon Adam, who barely blinked as the two monsters dematerialized. _Damn, he must have ice in his blood or something._

And yet, something told him otherwise.

"Behold, my Fallen Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

Piercing red eyes glared through the fog, followed by a low growl. Josh could feel his shoulders tremble as a wind blast shot overhead; Red-Eyes encircled the scene before somberly landing beside Fallen Summoned Skull. (**2400**/2000)

"So, how does it feel to have 'your loyal monster' used against you!"

The hacker gave a belly-laugh, reeling his head backwards. The laughter noticeably bothered the crowd, who could only watch and wait. Josh turned back to Adam to see his reaction, but Adam's face was blocked out by the fog. He stepped forward a bit to see better, and then stopped.

Adam… smiled.

"Red-Eyes, do it."

On command, the dragon's eyes shone brightly. It flapped its wings, startling Fallen Summoned Skull as it took flight. The hacker saw it rise, and nearly choked on his own saliva.

"Agh, what the hell! Red-Eyes get down here!"

Fallen Red-Eyes answered with a shriek and a whip of its tail, which smacked the hacker in his face and knocked him to the floor. Everyone chuckled. Red-Eyes then pounced on top of the hacker, pinning him down.

"Gah! Get! Off! Me!" He started to shoo it away, but the dragon didn't budge. The hacker glowered at Adam, who he could barely see behind the dragon's hind leg. "What kind of trick is this?! _I'm_ in control of this dragon, not you!"

"Wrong." Adam lifted his head, the red strand of hair shifted aside, falling along his black hairline. "Fallen Red-Eyes Black Dragon won't obey just anybody. In fact, he'll automatically destroy himself if he's forced away from his original owner." Adam jabbed his thumb towards his chest. "Me!"

"What?!"

Fallen Red-Eyes's body lit up again, flashing spastically between its two main colors. The lights began to overlap, and the dragon craned its neck upwards. With another final shriek, the dragon violently exploded, consuming the hacker in a thick cloud of smoke.

"Go Adam!" Josh did a fist-pump. Others joined him, and soon the whole crowd started to cheer.

Adam gave Josh a thumbs-up, then recomposed himself as the hacker drearily stumbled back to his spot.

The hacker's body strained. His eyes tensed; Adam could see a fire building within him, one that threatened to burn everything in sight.

"You think I'm done because you manage to outsmart me?!" [Deck Hacker LP: (4400 - 3200)] "Think again! I _still_ have all of your cards and now things are going to get _really_ serious."

"I thought they already were," Adam teased. The joke caught Josh off guard.

And apparently the hacker. He stomped his feet against the ground. "You're a dead man, Mr. Prince. Once I'm done here, I'm sicking my fellow Deck Hackers on you and then you'll _pay_!"

"That doesn't scare me." Adam's voice was flat. "Finish your turn already."

"Oooh, I _plan_ to! Stand up, my Fallen Hero Sparkman!"

Sparkman jumped out from behind the hacker, stealthily landing next to Fallen Summoned Skull like a ninja. (**1600**/1400)

"Now Fallen Summoned Skull – incinerate his Happy Lover!"

Fallen Summoned Skull crossed its arms, channeling the electricity from its body into its claws, and releasing it through its horns. The lightning ricocheted across the fog, bouncing around until it zapped the tiny angel, burning it to a crisp. [Adam LP: (4700 - 3000)]

"That's enough torment for now."

Adam drew. "Perfect." He threw his arm across his chest, presenting the card near his shoulder. "I drew Droll Bird, which means Heart of the Underdog gives me another draw." He did so. "D.D. Trainer. I draw once more."

"Draw all you want. Nothing in that deck is any good to you."

Dave examined the Heart of the Underdog card. _He's right. Adam's just mindlessly drawing with that card. And with a handful of Normal Monsters, he's never going to – _A thought struck him. _That's it! He's using that card to pull out the deck's Spell and Trap cards!_

"Here we go," Adam said. "I'll set another monster and this card face-down and end my turn."

_When I dueled the Deck Hacker every monster I drew was a dead draw. But the hacker's deck is so stall-oriented that nearly every Spell and Trap card he has will always guarantee that Adam gets another turn. With Heart of the Underdog he's able to weed out all the useless cards and get the ones he actually needs. But the hacker's still right, Adam doesn't have anything that can take him on._ Dave turned, noticing that Josh was staring at him.

"Something on your mind?"

Dave nodded. "Adam's got a decent strategy but I don't see how he can win this."

Josh faced the field again. "He'll think of something."

"I hope so."

Dave stared out at the field, watching the ghostly fog overtake the landscape. It subtly swirled around, haunting the monsters, seemingly waiting to absorb them into the darkness. He shivered, sending his downcast gaze at his Duel Disk.

_Wait a minute._ Dave's eyes widened; he seemed to fall into an entranced state. _I know_ exactly _what he's trying to do._

"Time to summon back not one, but _two_ Fallen monsters!" The hacker pressed a button and two cards ejected out of his Graveyard. "Say hello the familiar Fallen Alligator's Sword, and Fallen Hero Avian!"

Fallen Hero Avian and Fallen Alligator's Sword both hopped out from behind the tombstones, leaping high over the crowds' heads. Each took its place beside Fallen Summoned Skull, with Avian (**1000**/1000) on the left and Alligator's Sword (**1500**/1200) on the right.

"Sparkman – flip that monster over."

The electrical hero zapped the card, causing it to disintegrate, exposing the Ancient Jar monster – a large brown jug with a black, one-eyed creature living inside (**400**/200).

"Seems weak enough. Fallen Summoned Skull, finish the job!"

Groaning, Fallen Summoned Skull took Sparkman's excess electricity and transferred it into its claws. Clanging them together, it began to form another sphere of spastically sparking static.

"I don't think so." Adam's face-down card rose. "I activate Order to Charge!"

Ancient Jar launched off the ground like a rocket, flying full-speed at Fallen Summoned Skull.

"When this card's activated, I can Tribute a Normal Monster I control to destroy a card you control!"

Ancient Jar slammed into Fallen Summoned Skull's electrical sphere, causing it to combust, producing a cloud of smoke over the hacker's side of the field. Between the smoke and the fog, seeing anything was completely impossible. It took a good two minutes before the hacker was visible again.

"A minor setback," he said. "Even if you stopped my attack, you also just wasted a monster. Now Sparkman – attack his face-down card!"

Sparkman punched the air, creating an electrical shockwave that split the card straight in two. The image of a large-billed duck – Droll Bird – appeared before reducing itself to ones and zeroes.

"Don't think I'm done yet. I'll activate Premature Burial to revive Fallen Summoned Skull at the cost of 800 Life Points." [Deck Hacker LP: (3200 - 2400)]

A red spectral hand shot out of the ground, cracking the concrete between the Deck Hacker and his monsters. Using the hand as a rope, Fallen Summoned Skull climbed its way out from the underworld, shaking the rubble off of its massive wings. (**2500**/1200)

"Smart move," Dave whispered to those around him. "With that Vengeful Bog Spirit out he wouldn't have been able to attack with Summoned Skull if he summoned it next turn."

"Not only that, but saved himself a monster by getting around its Tribute cost," Matt said.

"My draw," Adam said. "Since I drew Hard Armor, Heart of the Underdog allows me to draw again."

"You're wasting your time," the hacker reminded him scornfully.

"Now to waste even more time," Adam mocked. "I activate One Day of Peace. As the name implies, neither of us can take any damage until my next turn, and we each draw one card."

The hacker pouted, slipping out a new card.

"Then I'll set a face-down card and set a monster to finish my turn," Adam said.

"Heh, seems you're putting my stall tactics to good use, but they can only last so long." A brown-backed card flashed at the hacker's feet. "Even though I can't inflict damage this turn, I can _still_ build my arsenal. I'll Tribute Avian to summon Fallen Flame Swordsman, then using Double Grave Ceremony to bring him right back!"

Avian burst into flames, holding out its arms as if it were a martyr accepting its demise. Its face deformed under a ghoulish glow, molding itself into the proud warrior adorned in red and orange garments. (1800/**1600**) The fire around it faded, and, dashing through the wisps of smoke and ash, Fallen Hero Avian landed beside it, good as new. (**1000**/1000)

_Now he has five monsters to Adam's one,_ Josh thought. _He's safe this turn, but there's no way he's gonna be able to take them all on at once._ He turned to Adam again, eying his face-down monster. _That Deck Hacker is gonna plow right over that piece of cardboard, and after that…_

Josh's train of thought stopped with a jarring realization. He looked over Adam's field again, noting each card individually. First there was his monster, which rested horizontally in front of his Heart of the Underdog card. To the left of that was the face-down card Adam had just set before ending his turn. But then, Josh noticed, there was another face-down card, sitting closest to him.

_When did he play that card?_

"I'll activate Fallen Flame Swordsman's effect, transferring _all_ of its ATK power to my Fallen Summoned Skull."

The swordsman grasped its handle with both hands, holding the blade parallel to its torso. Igniting it with sheer will, the swordsman swung the blade at the demonic creature standing in front of it (1800 - 0/**1600**). Although the flames engulfed Fallen Summoned Skull, they did not seem to harm it but instead caused its muscles to expand (**2500 - 4300**/1200).

"You're lucky that One Day of Peace is active, otherwise this would be your final turn. Fallen Summoned Skull –" the hacker pointed at Adam's field "– attack his monster with Lightning Strike!"

Digging its claws into the ground, Summoned Skull unleashed its electrical blast through the pavement. A trail of light could faintly be seen through the fog; once it drew close, electrical spike towers started to rise up, gaining speed as they traveled toward the sky.

"I don't think so – I activate Book of Eclipse!"

A sky blue book dropped in front of the face-down card, stopping the spike towers in their tracks. It opened to a random page and a glaring light shined at the hacker, whose monsters cringed and tried to turn away. The light bounced off the fog, making it completely impossible to see anything beyond the two duelists.

"When this card activates, every monster on the field is switched to face-down Defense Position. Then, at the end of the turn, you get to draw one card for each of them."

"What?!" Timmy shouted. "That doesn't make sense. All he did was give his opponent more cards to work with."

"Especially when Adam should've used that next turn to stop an attack that could actually hurt him," Matt said.

Dave gripped onto his cap's rim. _Adam,_ _I hope you're doing what I think you're doing._

"A very foolish move," the hacker said. "I'll set a card face-down and end." The hacker fanned out five new cards with his free hand, then held both of them up. "But lookie here, I have too many cards in my hand so I'll need to discard." He grinned. "Which means I get three more Fallen monsters to use later!"

The light gradually faded, and each of the hacker's monsters could be seen in a kneeling position.

"I hope it was a good one," Josh said, looking back at Adam, who was poised to draw.

"My turn." Adam closed his eyes, touching the top card of his deck. _I need something big here. _He slid it out carefully. _Otherwise, this is it._

He pulled it far beyond his shoulder, moving his arm until it extended straight out.

_Here we go._

Adam brought the card closer. A sharp, disturbed sensation came over him. He read the card's name, his heart battering its way into his throat. Old images crawled out from the innermost parts of his memories, weighing down on his lungs. Though he wanted to look away, he continued to stare at the card's image, thinking the same sentence over and over again:

_So, this is what you thought of me._

Adam added the card to his hand, dropping his gaze to the floor. He stared at the face-down card to his right, then looked up, noticing that Josh's eyes were also transfixed on it.

"It's time," Adam said. His voice became grave, almost sinister. "I'll activate my face-down card."

The card arced upward, slowly creaking until it reached an upright position. Everyone saw that it was a Spell Card, depicting a bolt of lightning crashing down through raging whirlwinds.

"Special Hurricane!"

"What!" The hacker jumped up, enraged. "That's impossible! I know every single card in my deck, and _that's_ not one of them!"

"Who ever said it was yours?" Adam asked flatly. "I set this card on my very first turn!"

Everyone let out an awestruck gasp.

"No way!" the hacker shouted.

The once still clusters of fog started to whip around the field, spinning into thin strips that layered together into a twister. The hacker stepped back, gazing up at the tunnel formed by the whirlwinds. Pale lightning shot down, striking at random spots around the hacker's field. Each of the Fallen monsters huddled closer to each other, knowing that staying too close to the edge surely would lead to their doom.

Adam's red strand of hair whipped in front of his eyes, spastically fluttering. He held up a vanilla card – Hard Armor – near his nose. "All I have to do is discard one card, and all Special Summoned monsters are destroyed." He slotted the card into the Graveyard. "And, as you know, in order to bring Fallen Monsters onto the field, you _have_ to Special Summon them."

"N-no!" The hacker frightfully gazed up; he could see spiraling pale lights converging above him. "This can't be happening!"

"That's right. You wanted to seize our cards in order to abuse their strengths." Adam swung his arm. "But in order to do that, you have to take their weaknesses as well!"

A loud _crack!_ echoed throughout the sky, propelling an enormous bolt of pale lightning towards the hacker's field. It plowed into the ground, deluging the hacker's monsters with its intense power. They slowly disintegrated, reduced to falling bits of data as each gave out a desperate moan.

The winds subsided, and the fog returned to plague the field. Adam brushed the red strand of hair into his black spikes.

The hacker's right eye twitched. His field was once filled with a surplus of monsters, but now it was reduced to nothing.

"Looks like the tables have turned," Adam said. "It's about time I won this duel."

The hacker clutched both hands into fists. "As if!" he barked. "You might've tricked me into wiping out my monsters, but those cards you have are _still_ worthless piles of junk!"

"That's the problem with you," Adam said. He touched his face-down monster card, slipping his thumb underneath it. "You think that all of your cards are weak, and try to use your opponent's power against them by projecting your weaknesses onto them. But it's actually the other way around. In order to win this game, you have to take your weaknesses and turn them into your strengths!" He flipped the monster over. "I summon D.D. Trainer!"

The face-down card vanished, replacing itself with a hole in the ground. A serpentine, orange worm-like creature wriggled out, digging its claws into the concrete. A small goblin sat mounted on it, commanding the grotesque worm to stay in place. (**100**/2000) The fog gathered around it, preventing either creature from seeing any further.

"Pfft… Hahahaha!" the hacker cackled, wiping a tear from his eye. "You really had me scared for a second. Sorry, but 100 ATK isn't going to do anything damaging."

"It's not gonna stay that way for long." Adam held out the two cards in his hand, deliberately fanning them as he pulled one out.

He stared at it for a moment. The Spell Card seemed to be speaking to him. Taunting him. His eyes sharpened the longer he looked at it, anger building with him.

Josh raised an eyebrow. _What's he doing?_

"You're never gonna get away with what you did," Adam said. His voice lost its heroic boldness, replaced with that sinister edge once again. "I activate the Spell Card –" he held it up high; despite the fog, everyone could see it clear as day "– Elderly Expectations!"

A simultaneous gasp seeped through the air. Josh, Dave, and the two brothers watched closely; the hacker started to laugh again.

"Right. You know what happened the last time everyone tried to use my cards?" He closed his fists, then opened his hands wide, exposing his palms. "Poof."

"Hmph." Adam slid the card in.

Amused, the hacker watched Adam's Duel Disk glare in rainbow light, as all Duel Disks did when playing an illegal card. Static raced across the enlarged card-hologram as it rose. At the same time, all of the holograms flickered briefly, just as the hacker expected. He grinned; this was his favorite part – the part where the hologram exploded, and his opponent yelled in exasperation over his failure. But then, the unexpected happened – the static ceased, and the Spell Card stayed in place, glowing with a pure-red aura.

The hacker's jaw fell – that cherished moment never came.

"You were saying?" Adam asked coyly.

"That's not possible!" the hacker squealed, throwing his arms toward the ground. "Only _I_ should be able to use that card! _I'm_ the only one here with a hacked Duel Disk!"

"Unless," Timmy said. "Does Adam… have one too?"

Josh shot a quick glance at Adam's arm. Nothing looked abnormal about it, but then – upon closer inspection of the Card Analyzer attached – he could clearly see that the screen glared blood red.

_But, if Adam has a hacked Duel Disk…_ His heart sank. _Does that mean, he's a Deck Hacker too?!_

Josh saw Dave in his peripheral vision, and could tell he had the same thought process. They warily turned to each other.

"You thought wrong." Adam pointed to his monster. "With Elderly Expectations out, I can increase the ATK and DEF of one monster I control by 2000, and during my Battle Phase, the effects of Spell and Traps card have no effect on it."

The red aura poured out of the illegal Spell Card, washing over the serpentine creature. The goblin on top cracked its whip, forcing the worm to raise its front legs. (**100 - 2100**/2000 - 4000)

"And now it's my Battle Phase," Adam said. The goblin cracked its whip again, somehow commanding the aura to glow brighter. As the aura grew, the fog scampered away. "D.D. Trainer – attack his Life Points directly!"

The goblin cracked its whip once more, hitting the creature's hind legs. It slithered across the field, following a wavy trail.

"Oh no you don't! I activate Ring of Destruction!"

The hacker's face-down card rose – a tire flung out and ensnared the beast's neck. Seconds later, violent flames burst out, leaving a veil of smoke in its wake.

The hacker crossed his arms, satisfied. "Heh, nice try."

"I could say the same to you," Adam countered. "Especially since I just said that Traps have no effect on it."

"What!?"

"That's the problem with always relying on your opponent's cards – you never get to learn how to use your own."

Unfazed by the blast, D.D. Trainer continued its stride. As it drew near, it slashed at the hacker with an arcing claw, ripping right at his chest.

"Agh!" [Deck Hacker LP: (2400 - 300)]

"And now I'll end my turn."

The hacker ripped out a new card, raising his arm high over his head. "I'm not gonna drag this out any longer! First I'll summon Fallen Hero Avian, and then sacrifice it to bring out the almighty Fallen Summoned Skull!"

A barrage of feathers shot out of the Graveyard's slot, followed by a streak of lightning. The lightning shot across the feathers, incinerating them, and the Fallen Summoned Skull lived again. (**2500**/1200)

"Lucky for you, that Vengeful Bog Spirit delays my final assault, so I'll end my turn. But not before I send another Fallen monster into my Graveyard!"

Adam drew, frowned. "I switched D.D. Trainer to Defense Position."

The goblin pulled the worm's reigns back, commanding it to kneel. (2100/**4000**)

"I end."

"Heh, that won't do anything." The hacker pointed to the tombstone on his right. "Now I'll bring back Fallen Hero Sparkman!"

A flash of light spread over the field, blinding everyone momentarily. When they looked back, Fallen Hero Sparkman stood on top of the tombstone, with arms held high. (**1600**/1400)

"Sparkman, use your effect to switch his D.D. Trainer to Attack Position!"

Sparkman created a bolt of electricity, using it as a lasso to wrap around the worm. Although the goblin tried its hardest to tame its ride, the worm couldn't help but succumb to the tugging force of the rope. (**2100**/4000)

"And since Sparkman no longer serves any use for me, I'll Tribute it to summon Fallen Flame Swordsman once again."

Sparkman jumped down behind the tombstone, and, as if they had coordinated the action beforehand, Flame Swordsman jumped out, landing on one knee. (1800/**1600**) It crossed its sword in front of its face, aiming the tip of its blade at Summoned Skull.

"I think you can guess what I'm going to do now. Flame Swordsman – transfer all of your power to my Fallen Summoned Skull!"

Flame Swordsman held up its sword, and the fiery aura surrounding it engulfed Summoned Skull. The demon combined its electricity with the flames, causing blood-red wisps of static to trickle around its torso and horns. (**2500 - 4300**/1200)

"4300 ATK," Timmy whispered.

Matt nodded. "If Adam doesn't do something soon, it's all over."

"Obliterate his D.D. Trainer with Searing Lightning Strike!"

As the goblin struggled to bring its worm down, Summoned Skull unleashed a barrage of red lightning, sending five red bolts arcing towards them. The goblin was the first to react, screaming as its body shattered like glass. The worm cringed, backing up in a feeble attempt to get away, but soon its skin caught fire and burned like kindling.

The flames reflected in Adam's eyes. [Adam LP: (3000 - 800)]

"And now, my turn is done." The hacker smiled, casting a magician's hand over the field. "Well, will you look at that? An empty field. Looks like you have no chance now." He pointed to Summoned Skull. "Even if you manage to summon a monster, Skull's piercing effect will eat at the last bit of your Life Points, and then this deck will be mine for the taking!"

"I don't think so." Adam closed his eyes. "As long as my heart beats, my deck will always enable me to win."

"Keh," the hacker laughed.

"Does he…" Dave trailed off.

Josh quizzically turned to Dave. "You know what he's talking about?"

Dave nodded. "I think he believes in the Heart of the Cards."

"The what?"

"It's a belief that a person can force the outcome of a duel by believing their deck. Yugi's made it famous – he's even accredited every victory he's ever had to it."

"You're right, Dave," Adam said, opening his eyes. "But that's not all." He dramatically pointed to the Heart of the Underdog card beside him. "Josh's heroic heart inspired me to win, so I know that I can't fail now."

"Please," the hacker said. "He hasn't contributed to this duel at all besides serving as a punching bag for our monsters." He grinned. "Besides, I'm the one holding your deck, so your silly 'Heart of the Cards' will only work in my favor."

"We'll see." Adam positioned his feet in a fighting stance. "It's my draw."

Silence. Even those closest to the hacker could hear the sweeping sound of Adam pulling the card from the deck as clear as day. They held their breathe, watching Adam examine his hand.

_Please Adam_, Josh thought.

Adam glanced over at the hacker's field, trailing his eyes between each card – Fallen Summoned Skull, then Fallen Flame Swordsman, and, finally the hacker himself.

_Even though you're probably a Deck Hacker, and even though everyone hates you, I know that you wouldn't be fighting for us if you really were the selfish person everyone makes you out to be._

He cast his gaze back over his hand, absorbing the pictures, the text, the borders.

_You've been able to last this long, so there's no way you can lose now. I know you won't let me down._

Bringing his cards lower, Adam gazed past the Heart of the Underdog card, making eye contact with the person directly behind it – Josh.

_I believe in you._

Adam maintained eye contact for a few seconds. He closed his eyes, lowering his arms to his side.

Everyone – including the hacker – stared intently at his mouth as he spoke.

"I end."

The hearts of crowd were simultaneously crushed, like the devil's hand squeezing the life out of them. The hacker's cackles returned, louder than ever. Adam stood motionless, eyes still closed.

"N-No way…" Timmy felt his skin crawl.

Matt nearly fell to his knees. "He came so close, but it still wasn't enough."

Josh hung his head.

_Adam… I don't believe it._

"Gahahahaa! This is rich!" The hacker danced around like an overjoyed monkey; the crowd jumped back, disturbed. "After spending all this time preaching about bravery and heroism, you couldn't even keep your advantage for a single turn! Hahahahaa!"

The hacker faced Adam again, panting to calm himself down. Adam hadn't moved.

"Ah, what fun. Too bad I have to end this now. But then again these four decks I've won will certainly make my master happy, which means promotion for me!" He lifted up his hand, wiggling his fingers. "Been a pleasure dueling you, Mr. Prince. My draw!"

"I don't think so." Adam opened his eyes, smiled.

"What are yo–" The hacker touched his fingers against the deck slot, feeling a cold metal texture. He slid his fingers along it, expecting a card to glide into his palm. Nothing. He tried again, pressing harder this time. Nothing. Confused, he slowly peered downward, eyes falling onto where his deck should have been.

The sight bewildered him – no cards were there at all.

"_What?!_"

"I've won this duel." Adam shoved a defiant finger toward the Deck Hacker's Duel Disk. "You were so eager to use my own cards against me you failed to realize that I was deliberately making my deck thinner and thinner with each passing turn. By the time we switched, my deck was already half its size. That's the one weakness of my deck – a weakness I've turned into a strength."

The holograms faded, and the fog dispersed, allowing the sun to cast a natural spotlight onto the street.

The hacker dropped to his knees. Cards spilt out of his pockets; their images mocking him – Black Luster Soldier, XYZ-Dragon Cannon, Fallen Red-Eyes Black Dragon – plus many more. He winced, as if in pain.

"People think Fallen cards are strong because they're able to continuously revive themselves with very little effort. But because of that, it's very easy to lose track of the most important resources – the hand and the deck. All I had to do was wait, and my deck would defeat you for me."

Adam walked over; his confidence beaming.

"That was a close one," Dave huffed. "I almost thought Adam wouldn't be able to Deck him Out in time."

"You knew?" Matt asked.

"Yep." Dave stepped out of the crowd, following Adam's trail. "That's how Adam beat me."

Timmy and Matt chased after him.

Josh grinned. _I knew you wouldn't let me down._

"Now," Adam said, holding out a hand. "Give everything you stole back."

The hacker craned his head up. Blood stained his eyes. "As if!" He pushed Adam in the chest, knocking him back, then began to scoop up the cards he dropped. "I'm getting the hell outta here!"

"Wrong."

A gun cocked.

Everyone tensed, turned to the source of the sound. They became relieved to see a police officer, aiming at the hacker's neck. But this wasn't just any cop – Josh recognized him.

_Nathan!_

"Hands behind your head. You're under arrest for theft as well as possession of illegal property."

The hacker did as he was told; the cards he held fluttered to the ground, landing in front of the group of five.

Nathan clicked handcuffs around the hacker's wrists, tossing him to another pair of police officers before joining the others.

"Good timing," Josh said. "I thought he was gonna get away for a second."

"Luckily a civilian called and reported the incident, otherwise he would've."

Dave picked a Black Luster Ritual card off the ground, dusting it off. "There were a couple of seconds where I thought I would've never seen my deck again."

"Yeah, same here," Matt and Timmy both said. They collected their cards using their shirts as trays. "Thanks, Adam!"

"No problem," Adam said quietly. "I hate seeing thugs like him picking on innocent people. I did what needed to be done."

"We really owe you one," Timmy said. Matt nodded in agreement, and then they both took off.

"Speaking of thugs," Nathan whispered, stepping closer to them. "Did you guys see any more Deck Hackers around? I only got here in time to see the fog clear; I'm not sure if any others got away."

Josh and Dave both looked to each other, then turned back to Adam. Adam remained silent, waiting.

"No sir," Josh said. "He was the only one."

"I see." Nathan tipped his cap. "Then I guess I better hurry. Make sure to call if you learn anything about these Hackers."

The three nodded. "Right."

Nathan twisted around, sprinting to catch up to his colleagues.

"Thank you," Adam said, stepping closer to Josh. "If you didn't let me attack you then, I would've been at a severe disadvantage. Here –" He held out a card – Heart of the Underdog " – take this, you earned it."

Josh hesitated. "Wait, wasn't that the hacker's card?"

"It probably wasn't even his to begin with." Adam shrugged. "Besides, I would feel better if a good card like this was in the hands of a hero."

Cautious fingers accepted the gift; Josh shuddered. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," Adam said. "I'll catch ya 'round."

The two stayed in the center of the street, watching him leave. The crowd had been long gone at point, and the sun's light enveloped the sky.

"What now?" Josh asked.

"Dunno," Dave said. He assembled his cards into a neat deck, shoving it into his Duel Disk. This brought a warm sensation forward, one he hadn't felt in a long time. "But I'm definitely done dealing with the Deck Hackers, at least for today."

"Me too."

"Let's head home, I guess."

"Right," Josh smiled, patting Dave on the shoulder. "Lead the way!"

* * *

><p>Jacob grasped the ice-cold railing tightly, cradling it as he reached the bottom of the stairs. After quickly surveying the area, he passed through a doorway leading outside, returning him to the busy streets of Domino City. Nonchalantly blending into the crowd, he pulled out his Card Analyzer. An outlined version of the city appeared on its screen, with a blinking red dot moving towards the top of the screen.<p>

_Perfect._

He put the Card Analyzer away, shoving his hands into his pockets. He continued to follow the flow of the people walking around him, never straying from his predetermined path.

_Everything is going just as Master expected._

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… Data Found:

**Fallen Hero Sparkman**

[Light]

[Warrior/Effect]

(1600/1400)

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can Special Summon itself from the Graveyard. You can only Special Summon 1 "Fallen" monster this way per turn. If a non-"Fallen" monster exists in your Graveyard, you may not Special Summon this card this way. This card's name is also treated as "Elemental Hero Sparkman". Once per turn, you may switch the battle position of 1 monster on the field.

**Fallen Alligator's Sword**

[Earth]

[Beast/Effect]

(1500/1200)

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can Special Summon itself from the Graveyard. You can only Special Summon 1 "Fallen" monster this way per turn. If a non-"Fallen" monster exists in your Graveyard, you may not Special Summon this card this way. This card's name is also treated as "Alligator's Sword". When this card declares an attack against an opponent's monster, increase its ATK by 500 during the Damage Step only.

**Hand Unity**

[Spell/Continuous]

Activate in a Tag Duel only. You and your partner can now use cards from each other's hands with their permission.


	22. Chapter Twenty-One

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Black sparrows fluttered overhead as Dave and Josh headed back to their apartment building, diverging as they neared the arcade. Dave seemed relieved to have his deck back – he continuously shuffled it, pulling the top card and smiling each time – while Josh was lost in thought. He examined the card Adam gave him moments before his departure.

_Heart of the Underdog,_ Josh thought. _He said that this card belonged 'in the hands of a hero'._ Taking out his Card Analyzer, he slipped it into the deckbox. _But I don't really see why he called _me _a hero._ In a poor attempt to change his train of thought, Josh turned to Dave.

"Glad you got your deck back," Josh said. His words were forced.

"You have no idea." Dave flipped over the top card. Black Luster Soldier. "There were a couple of times where I thought I was never gonna see it again."

"I can imagine. Especially after all that time and effort you put into building it."

Dave nodded. "I can't even think of starting over with new cards. This deck basically became a part of my identity. Without it, I'd probably give up dueling altogether."

A lingering thought haunted over Josh, who slowed his pace, eventually coming to a stop. "You think we were right to let Adam go?"

Dave stopped as well, leaning against a tree near the arcade's entrance, taking shelter under the branches' shade. "I dunno." He shuffled his deck again, returning it to his pocket. "I'm not sure what to think after today. He's probably a Deck Hacker since he was able to play that Elderly Expectations card, but he kept his word and gave us our decks back." He crosses his arms. "Either way, he's definitely worth keeping an eye on."

"Yeah," Josh said, shoving one hand into his pocket. With the other, he fumbled with his sweatshirt's zipper.

They stayed silent for a moment, each withdrawing into their thoughts. The wind blew, gently shifting the leaves from their hung-down positions upward towards the sky. Dave stared at his deck, then looked to Josh, who continued to blankly gape at the soil beneath his feet.

Dave pushed his back off the tree, standing upright. "I know. Why don't we take our mind of things for today and have a duel? With our Duel Disks, this time."

Josh gave an involuntary twitch. "What? I don't think that's a good idea." He gripped the zipper tighter. "I'd rather not embarrass myself in public."

"You don't have to." He pointed at the arcade's logo – a large, black clown – hanging over the doorway. "They offer special rooms where we can duel in private for free."

Josh hesitated. He didn't want to duel again, but then a thought dawned on him – Dave nearly lost his deck for good, so he probably wanted to use it in a carefree, no-risks duel.

"Uh, sure," Josh finally mumbled. "So all we have to do is ask?"

"Yep, c'mon!"

Josh followed Dave inside, ignoring the beeps and zips of the games around them and headed straight for the register's desk. A question and an answer later, the clerk led the two to the elevators, entered a code into the command pad, and the doors opened.

"Your room is two floors down. Have fun!"

"Thanks," they both said gratefully, stepping inside.

Taking the clerk's instructions, Josh pressed the 'B2' button, and the doors sealed shut. Soft, low tones soothed their ears as they felt themselves gently descending. Dave took out his deck, fanning through it.

"You should know, Josh, that I'm not holding back this time." He grinned playfully. "You've had plenty of practice duels, now it's time to see if you're ready to handle an opponent like me on your own."

A nervous, sheepish smile cracked on Josh's face. "Right." _He's gonna destroy me._

The door opened, revealing their battleground – a well-lit miniature stadium, just large enough to contain a holographic dueling field. It almost reminded Josh of the Kaiba Dome's arena, only this was far smaller; it was basically a closet in comparison. And there was no one watching them, thankfully.

Dave eagerly rushed to his post on one side, while Josh dragged his feet to the other. They activated their Duel Disks, allowing their Card Analyzers to shuffle their decks automatically, and drew their five cards.

"Remember, win or lose, this is just for fun," Dave said, lifting his cap's rim. "Let's give it our all."

Josh glanced over his hand, unsure how good his potential moves were. But like Dave said, this was just for fun. In the end, it didn't really matter.

"Right," he said, shyly.

"Let's duel."

* * *

><p>"Master, I'm here," Jonathan muttered, kneeling before the dark figure hidden in the shadows. The large steel doors were engraved into the walls, preventing any light from the outside world from entering their lair. Jonathan could barely make out the figure's shape; it blended in with the shaded throne he sat on. But he managed to see the glint of pleasure in his master's eyes.<p>

"Hello, Jonathan," the figure said; an elongated greeting. "I assume things are going well?"

"Yes," Jonathan breathed the word, raising his head. "The E-mail was sent the other day, and I'm sure Kaiba knows about our schemes by now."

"Good." Jonathan could see his master's hand move to his mouth, taking a quick sip from a wine glass. "Their companies will be a marvelous addition to our arsenal. But first, we need to take care of the kinks in our little plan."

Jonathan nodded, bringing himself closer to the floor. "Don't worry Master, Adam will be out of our way before the night falls."

A glimmering, pale smile spread along his master's cheeks. "Excellent." He raised his wine glass. "Once we're done with him, proceed to Phase Three."

Jonathan rose to his feet, saluting. "Yes sir."

* * *

><p>Noisy cars and business workers invaded the sidewalks, now that rush hour traffic started to pour into the streets. Jacob – prepared for the situation in his black suit and red tie – wandered with the crowd, occasionally checking his Card Analyzer. The pulsating red dot on the screen indicated that his target was near, but he wasn't close enough for him to be in sight.<p>

_Another block or two,_ Jacob thought.

He reached an intersection, where a crowd of around a dozen people waited. Jacob pretended to check his watch, then quickly crossed the second the light changed. The dot was nearly at the center of his screen.

He had him now.

Just as he expected, Jacob saw Adam leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the street. He fixated his attention on a card he held, ignoring the pedestrians that rushed past him. Jacob hurried to cross again, but a beeping car forced him back.

"Damnit," he silently cursed, watching the stream of tires roll along the concrete. He turned his back and checked the Card Analyzer again. Luckily, Adam hadn't moved.

Shooting his eyes upward, he glanced at the traffic light, which apparently had just turned green.

_Just a few more seconds._

* * *

><p>"Here we are, Mr. Kaiba," one of Pegasus's butlers said, opening the two double-doors towering over him.<p>

Seto Kaiba entered the large dining room without a word. He heard the doors slam shut.

"Ah, welcome Kaiba-boy," Pegasus said, sitting with his legs crossed at the other end of the long, polished wood table. It extended across the entire room. "Glad you made it. Sit down, dinner should be here soon." He took a sip from his wine glass.

"I didn't come here for food, Pegasus," an annoyed Kaiba said. "I came here to track down those cowards who dared to threaten my company."

"But we're having veal!" Pegasus shouted, raising his glass theatrically.

"Just tell me where your servers are so I can get to the bottom of this."

Pegasus sighed, putting his glass down, then snapped his fingers.

Another butler rushed into the room, carrying a laptop on pillow. He presented to Kaiba, who took it reverently and immediately turned it on. Kaiba didn't even see the butler leave.

"I'd give you the passwords, but the system's locked us out. Apparently they've taken out everything of ours and replaced it with their own security."

_Hmph, they really think that's gonna stop me?_

Kaiba leaned back in his chair, cracking his fingers. "This should be quick."

* * *

><p><em>So, this is what you think of me.<em>

Adam sighed, pushing himself off the wall with his back. The sounds of honking cars and babbling people were simple murmurs to him. He still held the Elderly Expectations card to eye level, never taking his gaze off it.

_I guess I shouldn't be surprised, at this point._

He slid the card into his back pocket, then crossed his arms. The cars in front of him blurred together as they zipped past.

Adam uncrossed his arms, shoving one hand into his pocket. He pulled out his Card Analyzer, preparing to switch it on, when he noticed something in the reflection on its screen. Belligerently, he turned, only to realize it was just a window sign for a bakery. He exhaled from relief, lifting his Card Analyzer again.

Then something else caught his eye.

In the window he could see his own reflection, as well as the reflections of everything around him. He had to sidestep slightly to move the glare obstructing his vision, but he was sure of what he saw. A businessman with jet black hair standing across the street, with sights fixated on him.

_Shit._

Without thinking, Adam darted to his left, pushing a young couple aside as he rushed to get away. The light turned red, and Jacob hurried to the spot where he once stood.

"Damnit." Jacob brought his phone to his ear. "It's Jacob. He spotted me. Try to cut him off!"

* * *

><p>"Black Luster Soldier – attack him directly!"<p>

As the soldier rushed across the room, Josh crossed his arms in front of his chest, shielding himself with his Duel Disk. This did little to stop the power of the slash, which knocked him to his knees upon impact.

Josh shook his head, fanning the cards he held together. He lifted his gaze to see the army of five monsters fade with a holographic glare; Dave unfolded his Duel Disk with a smile.

"Good game."

Josh stood up, sighing. "Good game."

Dave ran around the stadium, with Josh meeting him halfway.

"Yep, I still suck," Josh said with a half-hearted laugh.

"You're getting better," Dave said. "This is only your second time using a Duel Disk. It's a lot different from playing on a table."

"I guess."

"If my opinion counts, I thought it was a great duel!"

Josh felt his arms tense; he and Dave turned towards the elevator to see Peter, smiling from ear to ear.

_Crap, did he see the whole thing?!_

"Peter!" Dave shouted. "When'd you get here?"

"I saw you guys on the security camera and decided to pay a visit," Peter said. "Good to see you're dueling, Josh."

Josh shrugged, reverting into a child-like shyness.

Peter smiled. "Actually, I was wondering." He held up his arm, a Duel Disk attached. "You up for a duel, Dave? I've been dying for a rematch since I learned you were in town."

Dave grinned eagerly. "Of course. Then afterward we'll do a tie-breaker so the score will be settled."

Peter laughed. "I wouldn't put it in those terms. I'm just looking for a good game. It's been forever since I've lost, so I was shocked that you beat me in the tournament."

"Really?" Josh asked. _I knew he was good, but that's…_

"So let's go!" Dave said, starting to turn away.

"Hang on," Peter said, stopping him. "I hate these small cramped rooms." He pressed a button on the elevator. "How 'bout we duel on the roof? It's a nice day outside."

Dave nodded enthusiastically. "Sounds good to me."

* * *

><p>Without ever daring to look behind him, Adam sped down the sidewalk, crossing even as an oncoming car honked at him. He didn't need to see who was chasing him.<p>

He knew he was there.

As sweat splashed around him, he could feel his ribs cramping and knew it wouldn't be long before the man caught up.

Panting heavily, he shot his attention ahead, noticing an alleyway about thirty meters away. A split second decision told him that if he had any chance of escaping, it was through there.

Adam sharply twisted his shoulders as he approached, ducking into the alleyway without losing momentum. He continued running for a few seconds until he realized he had come to a dead end. He sagged his shoulders and put a clutched fist to his chest, attempting to catch his breath.

"I knew you'd coming out of hiding eventually."

Startled, Adam swung himself around, spastically searching the alleyway. At the far end, a female duelist walked out, her black trench coat blending in with the shadows. Adam calmly reached into his pocket and clicked his Card Analyzer into his Duel Disk as the woman raised her own.

"Long time no see, Adam," she said. Her red hair seemed to glow in the darkness.

"What the hell do you want?" Adam spat.

"The first time I've seen you in nearly seven years and this is how you treat me?" the woman said. "I see you've dyed your hair." She chuckled, pointing at his forehead. "You missed a spot."

Adam subconsciously brushed the red strand of hair aside.

The woman smirked. "Look, you've made it clear that you never wanted to see us again, or even be heard of again, and yet you deliberately exposed yourself in Kaiba's tournament. Why is that?"

"Because I knew you'd be there," Adam scowled. "I knew you'd try to break into KaibaCorp through that tournament and then that tyrant of a master would waltz in to take over."

"Ah," the woman said with false amazement, "so is that why you used that Shuffle Rig we equipped onto that Hacked Duel Disk you stole from us so long ago?"

Adam clenched his fists, veins popping from his forearms.

"Yes," he whispered fiercely. "I wanted to ensure that none of your underlings won so they wouldn't be able to get into Kaiba's Databases."

"Hmph." The woman lifted her arm and, consequently, her Duel Disk. "Very clever. No matter how many times someone manually shuffled your deck, the Shuffle Rig would change the order so you would always pull the exact cards you needed to win." She sighed. "I guess I was right all along – you never were any good without cheating."

"Shut _up_!" Adam yelled, taking a belligerent stance. "I only did that to ensure a spot in the final round. Once the tournament was over I immediately erased the program."

"Of course you did." The woman smiled. "So, I guess you kept it on during your duel with Kaiba by accident?"

Adam froze, frowned.

The woman lifted her Duel Disk. "And that's why you were so hesitant to win that game? If you won, your name would've gotten huge, and that would lead to people finding out who you really ar–"

"_QUIET!_"

In a burst of rage, Adam flung himself towards the woman, thrusting his fist through the wind. The woman side-stepped and Adam flew past, allowing her to send a very precise karate-chop into the back of Adam's neck. Adam fell forward, hitting the ground face-first.

"Adam," the woman began, "you really need to calm down. I'm just trying to have a casual conversation with you." She held up her Duel Disk again, activating it. "Of course, you were always more a man of action. If I could call you a man."

She chuckled to herself while Adam, neck throbbing with pain, slowly stood up, facing the brick wall with the woman behind him.

"Get away from me."

The woman approached gently. "Only after you prove that you're no longer the weak little boy that ran away."

Adam stared at the brick wall, trying to see through the shadows that surrounded it. There was no use. Even if he ran, she would be able to follow.

And they both knew it.

With sullen reluctance, Adam turned. "Fine."

"Good." The woman lifted her arm. Her Duel Disk's meter flashed the number '8000'.

"I'm not the same kid you knew back then. I don't need to cheat to beat you." The platforms on his Duel Disk smacked together, glowing with electronic light. "Elisa."

[Adam LP: (8000)] [Elisa LP: (8000)]

* * *

><p>Accessing Secured Files. Please enter passcode.<p>

PASSCODE: 746-774-22R

Access granted.

Uploading New File Data…

**Spectator Shield**

[Trap/Illegal]

Activate only when at least 1 other person is watching the Duel. Select up to 5 spectators and Special Summon to your side of the field as "Spectator Tokens" (0/? ; * ; EARTH; Warrior) in Defense Position. The DEF of the "Spectator Tokens" is equal to the number of "Spectator Tokens" on the field x 500. These monsters cannot be offered as a Tribute and control of them cannot be changed. If a "Spectator Token" is switched to Attack Position, it is automatically destroyed.

**Theft**

[Trap/Illegal]

This card can only be activated when your opponent is about to draw a card(s). Pay 800 Life Points and add the card(s) drawn to your hand.


	23. Chapter Twenty-Two

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

A gentle breeze blew on the Black Clown's rooftop, only being broken by the cabinet-sized box at the center. The elevator door opened and Peter walked out, his black wavy hair rising slightly as the wind grazed his white blazer. Dave and Josh followed him.

"Here we are," Peter said. "Told ya it was a nice day."

"Yeah, but it's a little windy." Josh waved his hand.

Dave gripped his hat. "It should be fine. It's not like we're throwing each other off the building." Josh noticed a subtle tremble. "But I'd rather not have my back to the street."

"That's fine with me."

Peter took his position near the ledge, while Dave stood by the elevator, shuffling his deck with care.

Josh stepped out of the way, careful not to get too close to the edge. With only the alleyways and streets below, he would get seriously injured if he fell. And knowing him, he would probably get jumpy during this duel.

"Ya ready?" Peter asked, smiling.

Dave smiled back. "Ready when you are."

Peter nodded. "Let's go."

[Dave LP: (8000)] [Peter LP: (8000)]

Dave drew his starting hand.

Peter's gaze fell onto his cards; his shadow casted over them, darkening their images.

"I'll go first since you went first last time," Dave said.

"Sounds fair enough."

"Alright!" Dave yanked a card out dramatically.

Josh studied both duelists as they looked over their hands. _Everyone takes this game so seriously. _A light breeze swirled around them, pushing their hair and clothes in random directions. Josh crossed his arms. _But I guess even competitive players like to lay back once in a while._ At that moment, an army soldier materialized in front of Dave, hiding behind its rectangular shield.

"Behold, my Black Luster Guard! (200/**1800**)" Then, the four golden gems on its shield twinkled, and four spheres of light formed beside the guard, two on each side. "And with its effect, I'll summon four Black Luster Guard Tokens! (200/**1800**) [x4]"

Josh smiled. _A solid defense already._

"Then I'll place one card face-down and end my turn." Dave pridefully brought his Duel Disk to his side.

Peter shook his head, smirked. "Sorry, I've seen this before. That wall you've built won't work on me. I draw!" He pulled out a card, swinging his arm behind his head.

Josh watched him return it to look at the card. _I know that this game can be exciting, but why does everyone act like they're on some cheesy TV-show?_ An awkward feeling came over him. _Nevermind, I won't question it._

"I activate the Spell Card, Painful Choice!" Peter said, unveiling it.

_What a rare card,_ Dave thought. _That card alone is probably worth more than half my deck._

"With this, I pick five cards from my deck and you get to choose one. Then I get to add that to my hand, and the rest go to the Graveyard."

Dave playfully held up a fist. "Alright, let's see what you got."

"If you insist." Peter sifted through his deck, slowly taking his selected five cards. When he was done, he laid them out on his Duel Disk, and the five cards reappeared as life-size holograms.

Dave took a second to look them over. _Shining Angel, Majestic Mech – Senku, Honest, Airknight Parshath, and Nova Summoner._ He had to be careful; Peter probably chose these cards to manipulate his choice. He needed to pick the card that could the least amount of damage in the long run.

Josh looked at the cards as well. _They're all Angel-type monsters, from the looks of it._ He squinted, trying to read their text.

_With Shining Angel or Nova Summoner he can easily take advantage over the field like he did in our last duel,_ Dave thought, averting his gaze. _And Honest will enable him to change the outcome of any battle he chooses. So those three are out of the question._ With consideration, he looked to card on the far left. _Airknight Parshath is a Five-Star monster, but if Peter gets that out it'll allow him to pierce through my guards in seconds. _He shot his attention to the center card. _So that leaves…_

"I choose Majestic Mech – Senku."

The five holograms faded. "A fine choice." Peter gingerly took them off the platform, slipping the selected card into his hand. He folded the other four cards together, tossed them into the red slot. "Let's continue – I summon Archlord Kristya!"

"Wh-what?!" Josh stammered, uncrossing his arms. _A strong monster already?!_

But Dave remembered. _Of course! With Painful Choice he automatically sends four cards to the Graveyard. Since Archlord Kristya needs exactly four Fairy monsters in the Graveyard to summon itself, Painful Choice is the perfect card to get it out._

In an elegant dance of orangey-red feathers, the pale armored angel floated down from the clouds. (**2800**/2300) It nodded at Dave, apparently recognizing him.

"And since I just Special Summoned a high leveled Fairy, I can summon this!" Peter held out a new card. "Archlord Seraphii!"

_Another Archlord?_ Dave touched his face-down card, then took his hand away. _No, I need to save this for an emergency._

From the alleyway behind Josh, a blue-and-silver armored angel burst out with majestic speed. Once it came close to its ally, it expanded its wings, revealing the four golden-feathered wings. (**2500**/2000)

"And since my monsters were summoned through their effects, I get to activate another." He gestured to Archlord Kristya. "First up, when Kristya is Special Summoned, I add one Fairy-type monster from my Graveyard to my hand." A card ejected out. "And I pick Honest!"

Dave listened in silence. _I knew it. It didn't matter what card I chose – he was going to use Kristya to take what he wanted anyway._

"Next up is Archlord Seraphii. When it's summoned, I get to take a Warrior of Zera from my deck and put it in my hand." Peter lightly pressed on his Card Analyzer's screen, and a card slipped out from his deck. Taking it with haste, he slapped down another. "Now it's time for my Normal Summon! Go, Majestic Mech – Senku!"

A mechanical angel floated up from behind the ledge behind Peter, its blue-lined armor contrasting with its pale wings. (**1000**/500) Josh stared at it, amazed. _That was the card Dave picked!_

"I'm not worried about that monster," Dave said. "'Cause it automatically goes to the Graveyard during the End Phase. And since it's not strong enough to destroy my guards, I'd say you just wasted a summon."

Peter took out another card. "Normally, you would be right. But now I'll use Secret Pass to the Treasures, which allows one of my monsters to attack directly this turn as long as it has 1000 or less ATK."

Dave stepped back. _Wait,_ _Senku was the only monster among my choices that had 1000 ATK. He _knew _I would pick it because it seemed so useless!_

"Now, Senku, attack his Life Points directly!"

Senku flapped its wings, bypassing Dave's guards and dove in for a kick. Dave just barely managed to block with his Duel Disk. [Dave LP: (8000 - 7000)]

_A direct attack even with a wall like that?!_ Josh crossed his arms again. _Peter's playing far better than he did last time. And even then he was good._

"Archlord Kristya, Archlord Seraphii, attack a Black Luster Guard Token!"

The two angels turned to each other and nodded before taking off. They each flew to the opposite side, intending to strike at the outmost guards. Despite the guards' confidence in their shields' durability, the angels whirled around them and struck them from behind, destroying them on impact.

_That was amazing, he just brought out two insanely good monsters and broke through my defenses without ever losing hand advantage at all._ Dave, receding out of his thoughts, spoke to Peter. "Well done."

"Thank you." Peter grinned. "I'll play two cards face-down and end my turn."

* * *

><p>Shadows cast over the alleyway, tinting its crimson bricks with hints of black. At one end, near the entrance, Elisa swiftly pulled out her five cards to start the game. Near the brick wall on the other side, Adam did the same. Neither player looked away from the other's gaze, until Elisa finally spoke.<p>

[Adam LP: (8000)] [Elisa LP: (8000)]

"Alright." Elisa softly touched her hair with her free hand. "Since you're the man of honor here, I say you go first."

"Fine," Adam said sternly. "I'll activate Graceful Charity. I draw three cards and discard two."

"Typical," Elisa said. "You never were the type to break away from your predictable patterns."

Adam pretended to ignore her. "Now I'll activate my Double Grave Ceremony, which enables me to summon an additional 'Fallen' monster each turn." He held up his arm so his Duel Disk was parallel to his chest. "Rise – Fallen Hero Clayman, and Fallen Hero Burstinatrix!"

The concrete beneath them cracked in a thunderous quake, eventually shattering to form a small crater. From within, Clayman climbed out (800/**2000**) and then extended its hand down to help Burstinatrix to the surface. (**1200**/800)

"Then I place a card face-down and end my turn."

Elisa smirked. "I activate Card Destruction." She paused dramatically, savoring the horror-filled look on Adam's face. "So now we both discard our hands to the Graveyard and draw new cards in their place."

Adam complied. "I know how the card works."

"I know you know." Elisa fanned out a new hand. "But here's what's different – the cards I discarded have a special effect. When they get sent from anywhere but the field to the Graveyard, they get banished instead."

Adam gritted his teeth.

"And now." She held her right hand to the sky. "Since my monster's banished, I can summon it to the field!"

A beam of light shot down, illuminating the otherwise dark alleyway. From the beam, a colossal figure descended, only acknowledging its opponent's once its feet touched the ground. Adam glowered at the monster. The proud figure stared back. He knew it too well.

"Behold, my Ascended Hero Clayman!" (**800**/2000)

"You always did copy my style," Adam spat.

"Not true. My Ascended monsters are far better than any of your Fallen monsters will ever be. For example –" she lifted a card from her hand, presenting it to him. "– unlike your Fallen monsters, Ascended monsters can be summoned straight from the hand. Watch!" She placed the card on her Duel Disk, sliding it beside Ascended Hero Clayman.

A figure's shadow could be seen above; it tiptoed along the rooftops, jumping down beside Ascended Hero Clayman. (**1200**/800) It eyed its Fallen counterpart coyly, causing Fallen Hero Burstinatrix to grimace.

Adam frowned. "And you called me a cheater, when you edited _real_ cards?"

Elisa smiled. "Hm, well, my 'master' always did say strong cards had too many drawbacks."

Adam grumbled.

"And now, to take advantage of your hindrance, I'll activate Ascended Hero Burstinatrix's effect." Elisa's Burstinatrix held up its hands, small yellow flames gathered in each. "By paying 1000 Life Points –" [Elisa LP: (8000 - 7000)] "– both of your monsters return to your hand."

Swinging both of its arms forward, Elisa's Burstinatrix flung the flames onto Adam's monsters, knocking them back, reducing them into two tiny cards. Adam caught them with resentment.

"Attack him directly!"

Both of the Ascended Heroes sprung into action – Burstinatrix shot Adam with a stream of embers while Clayman slammed its fist into him, causing the duelist to stumble. [Adam LP: (8000 - 6000)]

"I'll finish by playing a few cards face-down –" three holographic cards appeared, lurking in the shade by her feet "– and activating this card, Hand Mimic."

A fourth card appeared in front of the others, depicting two hands; the one on the left held out three fingers, and the one on the right held out three cards.

"This lets me draw cards until I hold the same amount as you."

Adam glanced at his hand, counted. _Six._

Elisa fanned the cards in front of her face. "That'll do for now."

_Great. Not only has she cleaned off my field but she also replenished her hand effortlessly._ Adam touched a button on his Duel Disk. _I gotta claim an advantage, and fast._ "I activate my face-down card, Fine! This allows me to discard two cards."

"Like I said, typical."

This time, Adam added angered edge to his movements. "Now rise – Fallen Koumori Dragon and Fallen Alligator's Sword!"

From the crater created earlier, a dragon's roar could be heard, gradually becoming louder as it rose. Upon reaching the field, Fallen Koumori Dragon expanded its wings, happy to finally return to the skies. (**1500**/1200) Fallen Alligator's Sword dropped down from the dragon's back; its claws digging into the ground as it landed.(**1500**/1200)

"Fallen Alligator's Sword, attack Ascended Burstinatrix!"

The alligator bounced onto its hind legs, immediately crossing its blade in front of its chest as it lunged forward.

"And that's to my Fallen Alligator's effect, it gains 500 ATK whenever it attacks a monster." (**1500 - 2000**/1200)

Elisa cocked her head to the side. "I don't think so." She lifted a finger and her center Trap followed. "I activate Shift, which changes your attack target to Ascended Clayman."

Just as Fallen Alligator's Sword hurled its blade at Burstinatrix's throat, the hero teleported away and Clayman took her place. With precise timing, the rugged warrior caught the blade in one hand, clutching it without ever showing a hint of pain.

"Now I'll have Ascended Hero Clayman'll activate its effect to destroy your attacking monster and itself."

Ascended Clayman cocked its wrist to the right, snapping the blade clean in half. Before Fallen Alligator could drop its shattered sword, Clayman bear-hugged it and dove towards Adam, who stumbled backwards from the impact.

"Agh!" [Adam LP: (6000 - 5200)]

"And don't think I'm done." A trap rose at her feet. "Now I activate Rising Sun, which allows me to Special Summon a monster that got banished this turn. Return, Ascended Hero Clayman!"

A beam of light shot from above, just missing the top of Adam's head. Once the beam hit the floor, red wavy rays rose until they were about six feet tall. It was an optical illusion of sorts – by the time Adam's Koumori Dragon realized it was staring the waves reverted back to its original form, Ascended Hero Clayman. (800/**2000**)

"It'll take more than that to stop me. Fallen Koumori Dragon – scorch her Ascended Hero Burstinatrix!"

The dragon complied, breathing a burst of flames that launched at the fire-themed hero.

"Ha, please." Elisa pressed a button. "I think you'll recognize this card."

Ascended Burstinatrix held out her hand; a swirling vortex opened, successfully swallowing the fire before twisting itself closed.

Adam cursed. "Negate Attack."

"Correct." Elisa smiled.

_Damn her. She thinks she can get inside my head._ Adam slotted a new card in. "I set one card face-down and end my turn."

"Ya know, Adam," she said. "If you stayed with us, we wouldn't have had to hunt you down like this."

"If could call this a hunt,'" Adam snapped.

Elisa frowned. "Look, we gave you everything. Those cards you hold, the clothes on your back – hell, even if the knowledge inside your head – came from us and the assistance of our organization. You have no idea what you ungratefully tossed away like a rag."

"Please, enlighten me." Adam crossed his arms.

"I think it's better if I show you." Elisa drew a card. "Living on your own must be tough. I mean, knowing you, you probably wouldn't waste money on any luxuries."

_Because the tournament _definitely _wasn't a luxury,_ Adam thought.

"But, because of that, you haven't been able to keep up with any advances that were made." She grinned. "Lots of new Fallen monsters have been released, but you probably weren't in any position to by such expensive cards. Which means, all of your strategies are outdated."

"That means nothing."

"We'll see."

"Just take your turn."

"If you insist. But ya know, I feel like I should point out exactly what's wrong with your deck, just in case you can't figure it out."

"I know everything about my deck," Adam snarled.

"I'm sure you do, but can't a girl talk to her baby brother once in a while?"

Adam tensed his neck, gritted his teeth.

"Your Fallen monsters are well known for two things – their price and their revival capabilities. But, most people forget that a Fallen deck is very restrictive. If even one non-Fallen monster lands in your Graveyard, all of those summoning capabilities are literally sent down the drain."

"That's obvious." Adam uncrossed his arms. "What's your point?"

"What I'm trying to say is that you only have so many resources, while my Ascended monsters have no limits!" Elisa slotted in a card. "I activate Polymerization!"

Adam kept a stern look on his face, but the sweat slipping off his forehead revealed his true reaction.

"Now I'll fuse my Ascended Hero Clayman and my Ascended Hero Burstinatrix to summon Elemental Hero Rampart Blaster!"

The two monsters standing in front of Elisa shone with a bright pale light; the two extended an arm to the other, a star forming between their fingertips. It expanded, engulfing them, before reconverting into a crimson sphere. A new figure emerged from it – a seemingly weaponized version of Clayman, only this monster was clearly female. Its musty yellow helmet hugged its head, while its red visor hid Adam's view of its eyes. It knelt down, raising the red shield in its left hand, while simultaneously aiming the revolver that acted as its right. (2000/**2500**)

"Don't think I'm done." Elisa pointed a finger to the sky. "Descend upon us, Ascended Flame Swordsman!"

A flaming dragonic serpent rained down from above, scorching the walls as it collided with the earth. Once the stream finished flowing, the Flame Swordsman took its place, standing at the center of the burns. (**1800**/1600)

"And, if you remember, I still get a Normal Summon – Ascended Amazoness Archer!"

From within the card's borders, a young girl shuffled her feet as she made her way to the field. Upon hearing Flame Swordsman's yell, she perked into a fighting stance, arming her bow with an arrow. (**1400**/1000)

"If you think I'm worried, think again," Adam said.

"You will be soon. Now I'll use Ascended Flame Swordsman's effect and transfer its ATK to my other two monsters."

Flame Swordsman spun its sword in a circle, causing two small embers to land on its comrades. (**1800 - 200**/1600) The embers expanded, creating undulating orange auras. The archer used its newfound power to set its bow on fire (**1400 - 2000**/1000), while Rampart Blaster channeled the fire into its revolver (2000 - 3000/**2500**).

Adam looked down at his monster, a single Fallen Koumori Dragon that hovered just above the crater. _Even if I stopped that effect, she would've blown me down in seconds. _He eyed his face-down card. _Besides, I need this more than Fallen Koumori Dragon._

"Now – Rampart Blaster, attack Adam directly!"

"Wha–"

Adam's words were cut off by a barrage of burning bullets, each one bursting as they bashed into his torso. He covered his mouth with his right wrist to prevent the resulting smoke from entering his lungs. As it cleared, he clutched his ribs and coughed.

Rampart Blaster pointed its revolver toward the sky and raised its shield in front of its face. Koumori Dragon turned to its master, let out a sincere cry.

Elisa smirked. "I probably should've mentioned Rampart Blaster's effect. Not only can it attack while in Defense Position, but it can also attack directly."

Adam opened his mouth to speak but another cough stopped him.

"Don't worry, to keep it fair the damage is halved." [Adam LP: (5200 - 3700)] "Of course, it'd be more fun if it were full, but that's the price you have to pay for using _real_ cards."

Adam forced his shoulders back. "Quit mocking me."

"What's the matter? Baby gonna cry?" Elisa chuckled. "Now to take out that Fallen Koumori Dragon."

The archer shot a flaming arrow, which stabbed straight through the dragon's head. The dragon's eyes widened and its mouth fell agape as it dropped down into the crater, leaving only a trail of wisps behind.

Adam felt his heart sink. [Adam LP: (3700 - 3200)]

"Time for some insult to injury." Elisa nodded towards Flame Swordsman. "Two hundred ATK's not much, but it's one step closer to taking you down."

The swordsman rushed forward, clutching its sword-handle tighter, raising it to chest height as it neared its target. It kicked off the ground just a few feet before the crater, hoping to slash him as it landed. Adam closed his eyes, strained his neck.

"I don't think so!" He yelled, opening his eyes quickly. "I activate Call of the Haunted!"

Bolts of lightning struck out of the hole in the ground, knocking the swordsman onto the floor. It scrambled to retreat as groans emitted from the crater, and, with the rising mist, Fallen Summoned Skull appeared. (**2500**/1200)

"Ahh, I've was wondering when you were going to get serious."

"I've been serious," Adam growled. His horned demon echoed the answer.

"If you say so. Anyway, I'm not stupid enough to leave two weak monsters out against that thing, so I'll use Ascended Amazoness Archer's effect." Elisa slipped both the mentioned card and Ascended Flame Swordsman off her Duel Disk, holding them near her ear. "I'll Tribute my two monsters to shoot down 1200 of your Life Points.

Amazoness Archer drew back its bow, and Flame Swordsman positioned its sword in place of the arrow. Then, the two gave off a golden glow as they converted into pure energy, transferring themselves into the sword. Miraculously, the bow fired on its own, and projectile sword launched past the Summoned Skull and straight into Adam's left arm. He let out a cry of consternation. [Adam LP: (3200 - 2000)]

"I'll set two cards and end my turn." Elisa gave a sly smile. "The fun's only just begun."

* * *

><p>"Alright, my draw." Dave said, glancing at Josh momentarily. Josh seemed transfixed on the surplus of monsters on the field; while Dave had gathered a strong defense, Peter gathered a strong offense. With only three Black Luster Guards left, Dave didn't have too long until Peter's Archlords struck at his Life Points.<p>

Dave slid a card into his Duel Disk, and the stone-hedge depicting card rose behind him. "I activate Advanced Ritual Art!"

Just as the hologram solidified, Archlord Kristya spread its phoenix-red wings, sending a barrage of feathers through it, reverting it back into a simple card.

Confused, Dave snatched it.

"What just happened?" Josh asked, looking back and forth between the two.

"Archlord Kristya has a powerful skill," Peter began, momentarily staring at the floor before addressing them. "As long as it remains on the field, no other monsters can be Special Summoned."

Now Dave understood. "And since Advanced Ritual Art Special Summons monsters –"

"It can't be activated while Kristya's out." Peter nodded. "Better luck next time."

"Hold on," Dave said. "When you summoned Kristya you also Special Summoned Archlord Seraphii. That's an illegal play!" He pointed at the monster accusingly.

Peter shook his head, grinned. "Nope, it's fair game. Archlord Seraphii also has a skill that allows it to be summoned even when conditions prevent it from doing so."

Josh stared at Seraphii, then Kristya, admiring the duo. _So not only did Peter summon two powerful monsters, he also shut down Dave's best cards. Which means –_

_I can't summon anything to beat them._ Dave brought his attention to his hand. A beat of disappointment pulsed through his heart as he put his Advanced Ritual Art card beside the Black Luster Soldier. Both cards were useless now. And while he did have three more ready to use, none of them could help.

_Gearfried the Iron Knight is too weak to take on either of them. And the Trap Card Equip Shot is useless without any Equip Spells out._ He looked to his final card._ While the Millennium Shield's DEF is high enough to block their attacks, all it can do is stall._ He stared back up at his opponent's monsters.

Both eagerly awaited their next chance to pounce.

_But it's better than nothing._ "I Tribute my original Black Luster Guard to summon the Millennium Shield!"

The middle guard stood up, vaporizing into thin air, leaving its rectangular shield to balance on its own. A reddish glow overcame the shield, converting it to a more traditional shape. A single red eye appeared on its center – the eye of Wdjat. (0/**3000**)

"Ah," Peter said with a sigh. "A back-up strategy. You never fail to impress."

"Thanks." Dave smiled softly. He'd never received so many compliments in his life. "I'll set one card face-down and end my turn."

"Back to me!" Peter swiped a card from his deck. "I summon Warrior of Zera in Attack Position!"

A heroic looking knight stepped out from behind Peter, seemingly hiding in his shadow. Its armor and sword hinted as its nobility, but its stare remained solemn. (**1600**/1600)

"Sorry," Dave said. "Not strong enough to take down my shield."

"Never said it was going to." Peter held out his arm. "Now my Archlords, crush his last two Guard Tokens!"

Kristya and Seraphii flung their arms back, springing themselves forward. The two Black Luster Guards in their way brought their shields closer to their bodies, but the momentum the angels had gathered strengthened their strikes, allowing them break straight through. The guards fell back and dematerialized.

A brown backed appeared by his feet. "That's all for now."

Dave drew, barely looking at the card before placing it on the field. _This might come in handy later._

"I end."

Josh watched the field with a frown. _Three vs. one._

* * *

><p>Adam examined his options as he pulled his next card. <em>My Summoned Skull's strong, but Rampart Blaster's DEF is exactly the same as its ATK.<em> He held his new card to eye level. _This should fix that._ He started to speak again, when he noticed that one of Elisa's face-down cards lifted itself up.

"I really enjoy spending time with you Adam, so I want this to duel to last as long as possible. Luckily, the Gift Card I activated grants you another 3000 Life Points."

Adam furrowed his eyebrows, watching his Life Point-meter rise. [Adam LP: (2000 - 5000)]

"You condescending littl–"

"I don't think you're in any position to make threats, Adam. After all, I'm only one of many people who are after you."

"I'm sure you are." Adam grinned. "After all, I'm far too strong to take down all alone."

"You never were good at sarcasm."

"I don't need to be."

Elisa sighed. "I really don't understand why you left. You were so well regarded and had such a good mind for programing and technical engineering. Truthfully, when you walked out on us, I was a little hurt."

"That's nice."

A glare glowed from Elisa's eyes. "Hmph, figures you wouldn't care. I should've guessed you would've taken the selfish path."

"The _hell_ I did!" Adam felt something in his mind snap, spreading a surge of anger into his bloodstream. "If anything _you_ took the selfish path by following that damned tyrant." His fingers trembled as he lifted his drawn card. "Once I found out what he was planning, I knew I had to get out. Your organization has such a greedy goal in mind and for what? The moment I left I swore to become the exact opposite of that bastard."

"Adam! How can you say that about your own father?!"

Adam exhaled like a bull. Elisa sighed once more.

"I guess you wouldn't understand. It's been a long time since you've spoken with us. You've probably become deluded from seclusion."

"That doesn't even make sense!" Adam barked.

Elisa perked his eyebrows.

Adam shook his head dismissively. "Whatever." He slid a card into his Duel Disk. "I'm not going to let you distract me anymore. I activate Fallen Nation!"

A flag pole rose behind Adam, casting a shadow that fell onto his Summoned Skull. The fiend's claws trickled with electricity; a bluish light shone from its eyes. (**2500 - 3000**/1200 - 1700)

"That's not impressive."

"It wasn't supposed to be. I've only just started." Three cards ejected from his Graveyard. "Rise – my Fallen Hero Avian, Fallen Koumori Dragon _and _Fallen Alligator's Sword!"

Small gusts of wind shot out of the crater, propelling the bipedal alligator into the alley way (**1500 - 2000**/1200 - 1700), followed by the purple dragon, who plopped itself next to the muscular demon (**1500 - 2000**/1200 - 1700).The second they landed, the green, winged hero flew out of the hole and swooped down over the field (**1000 - 1500**/1000 - 1500). It steadied itself about a meter from the alligator's head, awaiting further instructions.

"Still not impressed."

"Shut up." Adam pointed to his newly summoned monsters. "Synchro Summon!"

Avian's feathers fluttered off its wings and spiraled around Alligator's Sword, slowly building up into a twister of red light. As it gained momentum, the feathers shone brighter. An eerie shriek emitted from above, and two black wings tore through the feathers with ferocious force. As the feathers rained down over the field, the dragon hovered over Adam as if it were safeguarding him from an oncoming assault. (**2400 - 2900**/2000 - 2500)

Elisa smiled. "Fallen Koumori Dragon, Fallen Summoned Skull _and_ Fallen Red-Eyes Black Dragon." She crossed her arms. "I gotta say, I never excepted you to summon all three of your favorite monsters within one turn. Bravo, Adam. Bravo."

"You never were good at sarcasm," Adam snarled.

Elisa shrugged with a grin. "I guess it runs in the family."

Adam tensed his stare.

"Continue."

"Fallen Summoned Skull – destroy that damned monster with Lightning Strike!"

Lightning rippled out of the demon's horns in a wavy pattern, bouncing off the walls and bypassing Rampart Blaster's shield. As it screamed, the revolver on its right arm became overloaded with electricity, turning it into a sparking gauntlet. Unable to shake it off, the woman succumbed to the explosion that took its life.

Elisa dusted herself off. [Elisa LP: (7000 - 6500)] "Just a scratch."

"Allow me to change that. Fallen Koumori Dragon, Fallen Red-Eyes Black Dragon – show her no mercy!"

Koumori Dragon wasted no time hesitating, firing a yellowish flame that crashed full-force into Elisa. Residual embers floated off her trench coat, disappearing in the sunlight of the street. [Elisa LP: (6500 - 4500)] When the light died down, Red-Eyes Black Dragon thrust itself into the air and rose beyond the alleyway, taking its post on the edge of the back wall. Crimson fire burst out of its mouth, deluging Elisa and forcing her to step onto the sidewalk. [Elisa LP: (4500 - 1600)] As she walked back to the alleyway, Red-Eyes Black Dragon returned to Adam, leaving no trace of its body in the shadows expect its big, daring eyes.

Adam gave a confident grin; the strand of red hair fell past his vision, onto his nose.

"'No mercy,' huh?" Elisa drew. "Adam, I've been showing you mercy this entire duel, and this is how you repay me?" She closed her eyes. "Fine." Opened them. "In that case, this is your last chance. I activate my face-down card – Special Hurricane!"

Unnatural winds picked up, pinning Adam's three monsters against the wall. The flag overhead spastically waved around until the winds tore it off the pole. Adam turned, looked on in horror.

"I saw your last duel Adam, and I had to chuckle a bit when you used a card _I gave you_ to beat him." Elisa slid a card into her Graveyard. "You've always been the type to boast about self-reliance, but you're weak. You can't do anything without help from others."

Adam turned back to her, the red strand of hair fluttering in a frenzy. "Yeah? I 'dropped off the face of the Earth' and you say I did that with help!"

"Everyone helps each other, Adam. Everyone. Just like how you're going to help me destroy you."

High-pitched squeals stabbed through their ears. Adam looked back at his monsters to see their flesh being ripped away by the whirlwinds. Even as they tried to escape, the force of the air only knocked them back into the brick wall. Koumori Dragon was the first to die. Summoned Skull charged some lighting into its claws and horns, attempting to blast the wind away with its force, but it proved to be too strong, and the electricity only quickened its demise.

Adam gazed into the eyes of the black dragon. Its wings and limbs contorted, and each whipping surge of air brought out another agonizing groan. He could feel its heart beat, resonating with his own. Their pain was synchronized. Each rush of wind felt as if they were being bashed by a baseball bat. Adam looked to his hand for a way to stop this, but he knew nothing could be done. The red hue of his dragon's eyes faded and it shattered into digital particles.

"Oh, and by the way," Elisa said. "The monster I discarded was an Ascended monster, so it gets banished upon hitting the Graveyard."

Adam slowly turned to her, his face engraved with contempt.

"So, your Fallen monsters are back in the Graveyard. But you'll be able to get them back no problem, especially with those support cards you have out." She carefully selected one of the cards she held. "Actually, let's fix that. I activate Harpie's Feather Duster!"

Another quick rush of wind flowed through the alleyway; this one felt far more contained. A small hurricane surrounded Adam, throwing everything around him over the rooftops. When the winds finally stopped, he collapsed onto his knees, gazing into the crater he made.

"And now that I have nothing left to worry about, I'll summon the monster I just discarded – Ascended Hero Bubbleman."

A flurry of bubbles descended from the sky, one of which carried a scuba-diver. They each popped, and the diver landed on one knee, its cape draping onto its shoulders. (800/**1200**)

Adam didn't acknowledge it, instead kept his eyes on the crater.

"Kid gloves are off. I spared you far too many times this duel, now I'm gonna take you down like my fellow Deck Hackers should've in the tournament."

Adam grasped the gravel under his palms, stood up. "If that's the case, why didn't you enter the tournament? After all, if your deck is so _perfect_, it should've been a breeze."

"Because I was supposed to stay on the sidelines and make sure everything went as planned." She looked toward the sky without moving her head. "Not saying that I didn't duel, of course. While you and everyone else were fighting to get into the actual tournament, I ended up in a casual gathering, even ended up teaching a young man how to duel." She looked back at him with a sinister smile. "You should've seen my reaction when I saw that same man sitting next to you."

Thoughts flooded back to him, recalling every person he had encountered. After flashing through dozens of faces, the correct one smacked into his memory like a whip.

"Josh."

"So that was his name." Elisa shrugged. "Anyway, I saw you socializing with him. At first I didn't think much of it – just an innocent conversation with an unsuspecting person. But then he ended up foiling the first part of our plans, stealing Kaiba's deck."

Adam glowered at her. _I knew it._

"And then his friend – who you _also_ happened to know, what are the chances? – ended up defeating our lowest ranking worker. Of course, she's by no means weak. We wouldn't have hired her if she was. And yet he still defeated her with the most climatic move I had ever seen."

"Leave Josh and Dave out of this." Adam pounded a fist into his opposite hand. "They've done nothing to you."

"I'm afraid it's too late for that. Word is that that kid Dave has been hired to hunt us down by Seto Kaiba himself, and even Josh has done his fair share of meddling to get on our wanted list."

Adam's heart raced, his blood rushing to stop this shaking sensation. The sound of Elisa putting a Spell Card into her Duel Disk distracted him from it, drawing his attention to her once more.

"But that's a chore for another day. For now I just need to clean up the mess in front of me and carry on." Dramatically, she pointed above them, shouting at the top of her voice, "I activate Dimensional Fissure!"

A cracking sound rang out from the sky; the clouds became veiled by a portal that spread across the highest point of the alleyway, spreading over the walls. Adam peered into it, unable to see anything but the rainbow patterns that twisted behind the portal's entrance.

"What is this," Adam whispered.

"This is the card that will spell your doom. Just as I said before, your Fallen deck has plenty of weaknesses that can be abuse, and this is one of them. As long as Dimensional Prison stays on the field, all monsters that are sent to the Graveyard become banished instead."

Adam's pupils dilated.

"If I counted correctly," she continued, looking at her Card Analyzer's screen. "You only have five Fallen monsters left in your Graveyard. Once those are gone, you'll have nothing left."

* * *

><p>"Alright, here we go." Peter pointed to his center face-down card, which rose. "I activate the Spell Card, Riryoku!"<p>

Dave cringed. _Another rare card._

_Hey,_ Josh thought, _that card's not a Quick-play Spell, so he wouldn't have been able to use it on Dave's turn._ He considered this a moment, then he thought of something. _I get it. He bluffed Dave into thinking he had a Trap Card waiting, so Dave would be more cautious._

"For one turn, I can take half the ATK power of one monster on the field and transfer it to another." He cocked his wrist towards his two angels. "So I'll take Seraphii's power and give it to Archlord Kristya!"

Archlord Seraphii folded its wings, landing on the ground. A golden aura outline its shape, transferring itself into Kristya's gauntlet. (**2500 - 1250**/2000); (**2800 - 4050**/2300)

Josh turned to Dave, alarmed.

Dave grimaced.

"Now, Archlord Kristya, tear down his wall! Attack Millennium Shield with Angelic Obedience!"

Taking its golden gauntlet with pride, Kristya kicked off the ground, propelling itself at Dave's only monster. Just as the angel pulled its arm back to strike, a rainbow barrier materialized around the Millennium Shield. Archlord Kristya stabbed into it with his gauntlet, only to have its attack bounce off, sending it propelling backwards.

"Huh?! What's this!"

"You underestimated me again." Dave smiled, nodding towards a raised Trap Card. "Draining Shield negates your attack and turns that same power into Life Points." [Dave LP: (7000 - 11050)]

Josh sighed. _That was a close one._

_Just like his move at the arena, he used my own attack against me._ Peter smiled back. "Well done. But this duel's just getting started."

Archlord Kristya descended back to its post, hovering just above its master's shoulder.

_He's right. I got lucky. If he manages to overpower my shield again I won't be able to protect it this time._ Dave drew, determined. He fumbled with purple card in between his fingers. _Blast with Chain._ He glanced over his hand again, forming a strategy. _I got it._

"I set a card –" Dave shoved his Blast with Chain card into his Duel Disk "– and end my turn."

"That it? Don't tell me you're struggling now." Peter lifted his new card. "Ah, I can't do anything either." Another face-down card materialized underneath Archlord Seraphii. "Your go."

_This is just like Dave's duel against the receptionist. _Josh observed Dave's face-down cards, compared them to Peter's. _They just kept stalling until they had everything they needed to take the other down. _He squinted, braced his hand against the ledge behind him. _I wonder who's gonna crack first._

Dave drew. A wide grin pushed his cheeks, his gaze met Peter's eyes. "I have you now!"

Peter clenched his teeth, then spoke gently. "Let's see it."

"If you insist!" Dave adjusted his hat, grabbing it by the rim. He ripped a card out of his hand, dropped it beside his other monster. "I summon Gearfried the Iron Knight!"

A man trudged of an enlarged card, clothed from head to toe in black armor. The weight of the armor seemingly slowed its pace. The warrior held up its arms belligerently, presenting the long silver plates that served as its weapon. (**1800**/1600)

Peter raised an eyebrow. "That's your big summon? I thought you were gonna do something impressive."

"How 'bout this, then." Dave extended his arm to the side. His face-down card responded. "I activate Blast with Chain!"

Josh watched a dynamite stick fly through the air, falling towards the ground with a chain flailing behind it. _Here we go!_

"When this card activates, it changes to an Equip Spell Card. So I'll give it to Gearfried the Iron Knight to increase its ATK by 500!"

Gearfried caught the falling dynamite stick, scooping up its chain as it clanged against its armor. However, Gearfried frowned at its new weapon, as if dissatisfied with it.

"Looks like you forgot how your own card works," Peter said, straightening his posture. "Gearfried can't be equipped with cards, so Blast with Chain destroys itself."

Dave met his gaze again. "That's _exactly_ what I wanted!"

Peter's eyes widened.

Dave stepped forward, swinging his Duel Disk-equipped arm behind him. "When Blast with Chain is destroyed, I can destroy any other card on the field." He stabbed his finger above Peter. "And I choose your Archlord Kristya!"

Peter gasped. "No!"

The dynamite stick in Gearfried's hand ignited, glowing fiery red. Using the chain as a lasso, the warrior twirled the dynamite over its head before whipping it at Archlord Kristya. Peter watched in disbelief as his favorite Fairy became ensnared by the chains.

"This can't be!"

Before Peter could reach out to it, Archlord Kristya exploded, causing red feathers to burst in every direction. The feathers rained down upon the field, blowing past each person as Dave reached for his hand again.

"And now that Kristya is gone, I can activate this – Advanced Ritual Art!"

The stone-hedge-like altar rose behind Dave, forming a green orb above it. The images of Dark Blade and Luster Dragon momentarily flashed into view before they were absorbed into the light. The orb expanded, eventually replacing itself with the famous soldier. (**3000**/2500)

"Black Luster Soldier!" Dave proudly declared. "Take down his last Archlord with Chaos Blade Strike!"

On command, Black Luster Soldier leapt off the altar, heaving its sword and letting out a strong battle cry. Seraphii held its fists up, waiting for it to draw closer.

"No you don't." Peter lifted a card out of his hand. "I'll discard Honest to increase Seraphii's ATK by Black Luster Soldier's!"

"I expected that." Dave flung his arm; another Trap rose. "That's why I activated this – Disturbance Strategy!"

Peter loosened his grip on the Honest card. "Disturbance what?"

"When this card's played, you have to shuffle every card you hold back into your deck and draw a new hand."

Peter stared daggers at Dave, his pupils twitched. With rigid reluctance, he folded his hand together, placed it on top of his deck, and started to shuffle it.

Black Luster Soldier continued flying towards Seraphii, who threw a strong punch at the soldier. Unfortunately, it was not as strong as it had expected, and the soldier continued its stride, slicing all four of its wings off in one fluid motion. The soldier landed, and Seraphii crashed onto its back, dead.

Peter, now redrawing his cards, sharply exhaled out of his nose. [Peter LP: (8000 - 7500)]

Before Black Luster Soldier even returned to the altar, Dave spoke again. "Now, Gearfried, destroy Warrior of Zera!"

The black-armored warrior made no hesitation, running at Zera as quickly as it possibly could. Zera reached for its sword, but by the time its fingers grasped the handle, Gearfried had already impaled it with its silver plate. [Peter LP: (7500 - 7300)] The monster shattered into holographic data as it yanked the plate away.

Josh fist-pumped. "Yeah! Nice move!"

Dave gripped his hat's rim. "And that's my turn."

Peter, visibly shaken, watched the last of his monsters' feathers fall onto his shadow. As each one digitized into nothing, his heart beat increased beyond his control.

"That was… a very goo…" Peter gritted his teeth, clutched his fists. "Gah, I can't take this anymore!" He tore a card out his deck, glared at the camouflaged duelist. "You two have been a pain in my ass for far too long!"

Both Josh and Dave felt their insides jump. It was as if Peter had transformed before their eyes.

"Peter, are you okay?" Josh asked, starting to approach him. He backed off when Peter stomped in his direction.

"I've had enough of this act! It's about time I cleaned up the mess those stupid mooks made!"

"Mooks?" Dave's chest tightened in an instant. "No, you can't be!"

Peter held a card in front of his face. "Now to show you how a _real_ Deck Hacker duels!" He flipped the card with his thumb. "I activate Celestial Transformation!"

Before either of them could speak again, Peter's shadow began to extend, stretching until it connected to Dave's. While Josh stared at the ground, Dave turned to the sky. The sun sent down a scorching ray, plowing it directly in between both duelists. In its wake, an angel slowly dropped towards the ground. This angel, however, appeared to be corrupted by darkness; while it wore white sashes and robes, its skin and hair were a musty gray, and its eyes glared blood-red hatred.

Josh held his breath, Dave planted his feet; neither of them could prepare themselves for what Peter planned next.

"Time for your judgment! Behold – my Twilight Angel (**1500**/900)!"

Dave stared into its eyes, afraid to look at it, yet too afraid to turn away. He tried to move his arms, then his legs, but his body wouldn't budge. It was as if he fell under the spell of this tainted creature.

And Peter held the reigns.

* * *

><p>Adam slowly trailed his eyes from the portal back down to his Duel Disk. Elisa was right. She had completely cut off his resources. Even the cards in his hand became no use now. He was completely locked down.<p>

"If I had activated Dimensional Prison before I used Special Hurricane, you'd only have two monsters left, but I decided to give you a fighting chance this final time. I wanted to see what would happen if I put you in a corner now that you're a big, strong, independent man. So tell me, Adam."

Elisa smiled, relishing Adam's mystified expression.

"What are you going to do?"

* * *

><p><strong>Ascended Amazoness Archer<strong>

[Earth]

[Warrior/Effect]

(1400/1000)

This card is always treated as a Normal Monster. This card's name is also treated as "Amazoness Archer". If this card is sent from the hand or Deck to the Graveyard, it is removed from play. While this card is removed from play, you can Special Summon it during your turn. You can only Special Summon 1 "Ascended" monster this way per turn. If it this card was Special Summoned while it was removed from play, it gains the following effect: You can Tribute 2 monsters you control to inflict 1200 damage to your opponent.

**Archlord Seraphii**

[Light]

[Fairy/Effect]

(2500/2000)

When you Special Summon a Level 7 or higher Fairy-type monster, other than "Archlord Seraphii", you can Special Summon this card from your hand. The Summon of this card cannot be negated or prevented. When this card is Summoned, you can add 1 "Warrior of Zera" to your hand from your deck or Graveyard.

_[Credit to Aarikku on Pojo for the creation of this card]_

**Rising Sun**

[Trap/Counter]

Activate when a monster leaves the field. Special Summon that monster to your side of the field. Its effects are negated.

_[Credit to ShinyPuffy on Pojo for the creation of this card]_


	24. Chapter Twenty-Three

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

"Behold – my Twilight Angel!" (**1500**/900)

Dave gaped deeply into the angel's red eyes, trying to make sense of it. Peter seemed to be such a nice person before he played this monster, but upon summoning it he completely transformed.

"All that drama for a discolored Shining Angel?" Josh shouted from the sidelines.

Peter smirked. "Not just one. _Three_! I activate Inferno Reckless Summon!"

With a swing of his arm, Peter's face-down card rose. Before its picture could even be seen, black and red streaks of light shot out of it, seemingly analyzing Twilight Angel's structure. When it finished, two more angel-shaped silhouettes formed, until both solidified into carbon-copies of the center Twilight Angel. (**1500**/900) [x2]

Dave cringed. "Three Twilight Angels." _Crap, and if my Card Analyzer's right, he'll be able to summon a new monster once it's destroyed._ He turned to Josh, as if seeking guidance.

Josh watched on in awe.

"Well, the center one's weaker, since Celestial Transformation halves the summoned monster's ATK." (**1500 - 750**/900) "But that's not an issue. I'll sacrifice it to summon this! Darklord Desire!"

_Darklord?_ Josh thought. He kept a stable stance as the center Twilight Angel deteriorated, gathering into a pile of ash. Bit by bit, the grains slowly hovered above their original spot, spiraling in a helix-like manner. Suddenly they smashed together; a dark cloud resulted from the impact.

Both Dave and Josh squinted. The more the cloud cleared, the quicker their heart rate increased. Like Archlord Kristya, it had two orangey-red, phoenix-like wings that spread far beyond its shoulders. Its armor was reminiscent of Black Luster Soldier's – two 'devil horns' protruded from its helmet, matching the large spikes jetting out of its shoulder pads. Its gauntlets expanded far over its forearms, with pincer-like claws protruding from the sides to protect its hands. (**3000**/2800)

"Th-that's Darklord Desire?" Josh asked, unnerved.

"Yes." Peter crossed his hands near his face; his wrists lightly touching each other. "This Darklord has the most terrifying power of them all. It draws strength from a person's deepest desires, no matter how dark or cruel." He lowered his arms, clutching a fist, angrily staring at it. He seemed to twitch from rage.

Dave took a delicate step. "Peter, I don't understand."

"No, you wouldn't." Peter released his grip, presenting his tense, emptied hand. "How could you? _You_ were the one who got in the way of my desires by knocking me out of that damned tournament!" A crooked smile formed on his face; the Darklord shared this expression. "But now I'll fulfill my new desire…" He gave a soft, manic chuckle.

"Dave, careful!" Josh yelled. "He's probably got those illegal cards in his deck!"

"Keh, don't insult me," Peter spat. "You really think I _need_ those illegal cards to beat you? The Duel Disk I'm wearing is the same as yours – no hacking done to it whatsoever."

Dave ventured. "Then why did you join the Deck Hackers?"

Peter didn't answer at first. Instead he peered into his opponent's eyes. Aged contempt stained his stare, like a puppet blankly gaping at its owner.

"Does it really matter? Just worry about yourself – soon that's all you'll have left!" Peter cackled involuntarily. The Darklord merely grinned wider.

Dave stepped back in disbelief. His two monsters – each standing beside Dave's inanimate shield (0/**3000**) – turned to him; Gearfried the Iron Knight merely held its mouth agape (**1800**/1600), while the Black Luster Soldier gave its master a silent order (**3000**/2500).

They all knew what he had to do.

"Alright," Dave just barely uttered. "There's no reasoning with you. If you're not gonna tell me what happened to you then _show_ me."

Peter regained his composure. "If you insist. Darklord Desire – destroy his Gearfried the Iron Knight!"

Desire vanished in a purple mist, only to miraculously reappear in front of Gearfried, grappling it faster than it could blink. By the time everyone realized what happened, Desire had already smashed its gauntlet into Gearfried's armor. The monster burst apart as the angel pulled back its fist, which oozed with purple mist.

[Dave LP: (11050 - 9850)] [Peter LP: (7300)]

Gearfried's card was forcibly ejected off Dave's Duel Disk; he caught it as it flung past his ear.

Peter crossed his arms arrogantly. "Worried yet?"

Dave slid the card into his Graveyard. "I don't think so."

When he looked up at the field, Desire was holding Black Luster Soldier by the neck. The soldier had dropped its weapons in an attempt to pry the angel's grip off with its hands.

"Black Luster Soldier!" Dave glared at Peter. "What the hell is this? You already attacked this turn!"

Peter gave a quick laugh. "It's not an attack; this time I'm activating its effect."

The purple mist that had been drifting across the field gathered around Black Luster Soldier, as well as spiraling around Desire's arm in a double-helix.

"All I have to do is give up 1000 of Darklord Desire's ATK and I can send any monster you control to the Graveyard." Peter snapped his fingers. "I'm sure you can guess who I chose!"

A pressurized pulse shot through Desire's hand, throwing Black Luster Soldier over the side of the building. It crashed into the brick wall, exploding in a burst of purple mist.

Desire brushed its thumb along its other fingers; the eerie purple mist continued to swirl around them. (**3000 - 2000**/2800) Peter was still laughing through it all.

"Well, that was an eventful turn. Hope that shield will hold ya, bahaha!" Tears gathered in his eyes, flinging off his face as he flung his head back again.

* * *

><p>"Hello, Adam? It's your turn."<p>

Adam barely acknowledged Elisa's voice; his stare transfixed on the swirling portal that she had ripped into the sky. He lowered his gaze back to eye level, still dizzied by the portal's mesmerizing pattern. It took a moment, but her figure reappeared through the blurs, along with the scuba-diver monster she had out. (800/**1200**)

"Don't tell me you're scared just because I pulled the kid gloves off," she said coyly.

Adam drew with a rigid hand. "The hell I am!"

"Then let's continue."

[Adam LP: (5000)] [Elisa LP: (1600)]

_This isn't good,_ Adam thought, glancing back at the portal. _With that Dimensional Fissure out, Elisa has me locked into my last five Fallen monsters – two of which need tributes to be summoned._ Loosening his grip on his drawn card, Call of the Haunted, he paused and took a deep breath.

"I set one card face-down." The card flashed briefly, illuminating the dark alleyway in holographic light. "Then I'll revive Fallen Headless Knight – Rise!"

A coffin shot out of the crater. With a sharp _snap!_ the headless knight burst through the coffin's door. (**1450**/1700 - 2100)

Elisa chuckled. "What a useless effect. It never powers itself up."

Adam let a light growl simmer. "Fallen Headless Knight – destroy her Bubbleman!"

Fallen Headless Knight took a long step forward, slashing at Bubbleman as its foot touched the ground. Bubbleman's scuba gear fell apart, and its body was weightlessly sucked into the portal above them.

"Oh well, no loss for me." Elisa shrugged theatrically. "Since, of course, Dimensional Fissure banishes my Ascended monsters, so I can Special Summon them back regardless."

"Just go."

"Fine, fine." Elisa slipped off a new card. "Hmm, this'll do. I set two cards face-down."

Two brown-bordered cards appeared beside her active Spell.

"Then I'll re-summon that Bubbleman you just destroyed – descend upon us!"

Bubbleman dropped back down from the portal, readjusting its goggles once it landed.

"And now that Bubbleman's back, his effect activates. Since I have no cards in my hand, I can draw two more."

Elisa fanned out the cards in front of her face.

"Hurry up." Adam crossed his arms.

A sly smile spread across Elisa's cheeks. "Anxious, are we? Well, if you insist. I activate my face-down card."

The card lying next to Dimensional Fissure rose up, presenting a calm angel with hands cupped together.

Adam scowled. "Graceful Charity."

"Oh, you know this card." Elisa slipped out three more cards and tosses two into the sky, which then got sucked up by the portal. "Those two were monsters, so they get banished instead."

"I get it," Adam said darkly.

"Good. I'll set another monster and end my turn."

"Hmph." Adam whipped out his drawn card.

"Getting a little frustrated, I see. Don't worry, I'll try to end this quickly so you can calm down."

"Be quiet." He slammed his finger on a button; an orange card ejected from his Graveyard. "I'll Tribute my Fallen Headless Knight to summon the Fallen Summoned Skull!"

Lightning ricocheted around the alleyway, lighting it up once more. A web of electricity gathered in front of him, snaring Fallen Headless Knight at its center. Demonic howls erupted out of the ground, and a blue lightning bolt shot out from underneath the knight, propelling it into the air. The Fallen Summoned Skull took the knight's position after ripping through the ground. (**2500**/1200)

Elisa sighed. "Adam, you're far too reckless." She pointed above them.

Adam looked up, watching the headless knight's fried armor float into the void.

"That's another Fallen lost. Just four more to go."

"It doesn't matter." He clutched a fist, aiming it at his monster. "_This_ is all I need to finish you!"

"Then go on."

Adam lowered his arm. "If you insist – Lightning Strike!"

Summoned Skull clanged its claws together, charging electricity into them from its horns. A blue sphere expanded in its hands.

"Nice try!" Elisa waved her hand back. "I activate my face-down – Void Within!"

Adam's insides jumped. _No!_

The electrical sphere that the demon held transformed into a black orb, drawing the demon into it. Summoned Skull tried to toss it away, but its claws were already consumed, and soon its entire body followed. Once this happened, the sucking power of the orb faded, changing to a deep purple and lowering to the center of the field. Latent energy radiated from it.

"Void Within's a pretty neat card," Elisa said. "With it, I can banish a DARK monster on the field, then draw a card." She did so. "Now, here's the best part: If I don't draw cards by a card effect, I can summon the banished monster to my side of the field after three End Phases."

Adam felt panic trace from the veins in his head all the way to his heart. He failed to hide this on his face, which Elisa promptly laughed at.

"And that makes two Fallen monsters I've successfully defeated in one turn, with no effort on my part."

Adam looked at the five platforms attached to his wrist. His field was empty.

"I set one card face-down," a disenchanted Adam said. "End turn."

* * *

><p>Josh turned to Dave, who clearly shared his discomfort, though Josh had no understanding of the situation Dave was in. The only card he held was Sworn Into the Army, and that card was completely useless. He gripped it with stressed fingers as he drew.<p>

The very image of his next card disgusted him. Pot of Greed – a physical reminder of his defeat back at the tournament. Still, its timing couldn't be better.

"I activate Pot of Greed," Dave said. "This lets me draw two new cards."

Peter huffed to stop his giggle fest. "Ah, getting desperate, are we?"

"You could say that." He shoved a Spell Card into his Duel Disk. "But desperation always brings out a person's true strength. I activate Symbols of Duty!"

The Spell Card flashed beside its owner, absorbing the Millennium Shield in a blue hue.

"All I have to do is send a Normal Monster on my field to the Graveyard, and I can trade it for any _other_ monster in the Graveyard." His outreached hand seemed to speak the command itself. "Be reborn, my Black Luster Soldier!"

The Spell Card's shape deformed and reconverted into the familiar silhouette of the soldier. It clutched the dog tags in its left hand, realizing that it was forged from its ally's remains. At that moment it knew how grave the situation had become. (**3000**/2500)

"Black Luster Soldier, it's time we showed Darklord Desire who's boss!"

The soldier nodded curtly, ripping its sword straight out of its sheath and crossing its point at the Darklord's nose.

"Attack!" Dave yelled. "Chaos Blade Strike!"

Clutching its dog tags tighter, the soldier heaved its arm diagonally, throwing its sword like a boomerang. A metallic whipping sound echoed as it travelled, growing louder and louder as it came closer to its target.

"Keh, too obvious." Peter slammed his index finger on a button. "I activate Reverse Trap!"

Dave's shock turned his bones to stone. Desire's body emitted the same purple aura it had before, only this time it quickly transformed to a deep pink.

"For this turn only, Reverse Trap changes any increases into decreases and decreases into increases," Peter explained. "In other words, the 1000 ATK Darklord Desire lost now becomes the 1000 ATK it gained!"

_No way!_ Josh's eyes trailed along the blade's path. In a few seconds it would connect, and Dave would have nothing left. (**2000 - 4000**/2800)

"So much for your soldier." Peter shrugged. "I guess you winning last time was just a fluke."

"Think again. I'm activating my face-down card." The card shot up with urgency. "Equip Shot!"

"What?!" Peter's mouth dropped open.

"Here's how it works," Dave began, gesturing towards his soldier's fist. "When I played Symbols of Duty it became attached to Black Luster Soldier as an Equip Spell Card. And because of that, Equip Shot enables me to redirect my attack at another monster on the field by giving it that same Equip Spell Card.

"And the monster I choose –" He shot a declarative finger forward. "– is your Twilight Angel!"

Peter furrowed his brow.

Black Luster Soldier opened its hand, reluctantly allowing the dog tags to teleport and reappear around the angel's neck. Baffled, the angel immediately tried to rip it off. As it did, a strange force drew the spinning sword away from Darklord Desire and toward itself, as if it were a homing beacon. By the time the angel finally managed to remove the dog tags, the blade had already slashed across its stomach.

It exploded the second the sword returned to the soldier's hand. [Peter LP: (7300 - 5800)]

"Yeah!" Josh shouted, throwing a celebratory fist into the air. "Great move, Dave!"

Dave shook his head. "I wouldn't celebrate just yet."

"I second that." Peter smirked. "When Twilight Angel is destroyed, I can bring out a LIGHT or DARK monster that has 1500 ATK points or less." A card slid out from the middle of Peter's deck. "And I know exactly what I'm going to pick."

A small black sphere flew out of the card, floating freely until it touched the ground near Darklord Desire. Once it did, it immediately erupted in what felt like a nuclear explosion. Dave gripped his hat to prevent it from flying off. Josh caught himself on the ledge behind him so he wouldn't fall over.

"This card is one of my personal favorites," Peter said. His blazer flapped around wildly as the explosion calmed. "Behold, my Twilight Gardna!"

A kneeling man had appeared where the explosion originally began. It crossed its arms in front of its torso. The two grey shields attached to each of its gauntlet gave off a strange aura that radiated in the form of neon energy. (0/**?**)

"Th-that's impossible!" Dave shouted in bewilderment.

Josh raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

"Twilight Gardna is one the rarest Warriors in the game. They say there's only seven in the entire world."

"That's right." Peter nodded. "And one of them is mine."

"That card must've cost you a fortune."

"Not really, no." Peter held his arms close, unconsciously mimicking his Gardna. "Rare cards are an easy thing to get when you came from a wealthy family."

"Then why join the Deck Hackers if you're so rich?" Josh asked.

Peter's expression darkened. "I spoke in past tense, didn't I?"

Josh started to speak again but an angered groan from Peter cut him off.

"Enough of this. We're resuming the duel." He held his fist near his face; his Duel Disk ran parallel to his body. "As you've probably noticed, when Twilight Gardna is summoned it automatically shifts to Defense Position. Then it gains 100 DEF times the total Levels of every LIGHT and DARK monster in my Graveyard."

Streams of black and white light flowed out from Peter's Duel Disk, wrapping themselves around Twilight Gardna like the rings of Saturn. The grey color of the two shields shifted in opposite directions; one became pure white, and the other became as black as night. (0/**? - 3300**)

_That's not good,_ Josh thought. _Even if Dave manages to get rid of that Darklord, he won't be able to get to Peter with just his Black Luster Soldier._

"I set one card face-down and end my turn," Dave said.

"Good." Peter drew. "I think you know what's next. I'll use my Darklord Desire's ability to wipe out your Soldier once more."

Desire cupped its hands together, summoning the purple mist in its palms. The mist grew in size, expanding as the blackened angel spread out its hands.

Josh shot a worrisome look to Dave, but replaced it with consternation when he saw him smiling.

"That's exactly what I wanted you to do." He slid a lone card into the red slot. "By discarding one card from hand, I activate Divine Wrath!"

Peter frowned tentatively.

"When this card is activated, it negates the activation of your Effect Monster's ability and automatically destroys it!"

A beam of intense light forcibly burst through the parting clouds, deluging Desire. It failed to maintain the purple mist – which vanished the second the light struck it – as its armor warped from its dark colors to pure white.

It gave a loud shout before it fused with the air, leaving only a small trace of its purple aura behind. As if drawn by a magnetic pull, the aura became absorbed by Twilight Gardna's shields, which sucked it up as if it were draining a stream. (0/**3300 - 4300**)

"Looks like my Soldier's staying exactly where it belongs."

Peter's frown quickly transformed into a sinister smile, which in turn led to malevolent laughter.

Dave grimaced. "What's so funny?"

"I can't believe it was that easy to trick you." Peter sighed to stop his laughter. "You fell right into my trap!"

"But he just beat your best monster!" Josh chimed in. "How could y–"

"Manipulation." Peter slipped a card out of his hand. "It's no surprise that you were able to destroy my Darklord Desire. I'm not going to underestimate you again. But by doing so you've allowed me summon something even _more_ powerful!"

_Even more powerful?_ Josh thought. _What could be stronger than a monster like that?!_

"This card can only be Special Summoned when I have exactly three DARK monsters in the Graveyard. Darklord Desire was the third, so thank you." Peter slapped the card down. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to summon – Dark Armed Dragon!"

Black flames shot out from over the side of the building, creating a massive wall that obstructed their view of the sky. Josh stepped back, trying to see past the fire. The moment he did, a spikey black dragon lunged out of the flames and crashed its claws into the ledge, casting its shadow over the entire playing field. (**2800**/1000)

"Dark… Armed Dragon?" Dave loosely curled his fingers into a fist.

"That's right. With Dark Armed Dragon out, I can banish one DARK monster from my Graveyard to destroy _any_ card on the field!" Peter pressed a button on his Card Analyzer. "So now, I'll feed it my Twilight Angel for dinner so it can have your Black Luster Soldier for dessert. Bon appétit!"

Dark Armed Dragon bellowed a quaking roar, whipping its tail as shockwaves flung through the air. Small traces of black energy were forced out of Twilight Gardna's shield, causing it to cringe. (0/**4300 - 3900**)

The energy rode the shockwaves and pierced Black Luster Soldier's armor. The soldier dropped its weapons, bracing a hand against its heart. The shockwaves ceased the same instant the monster shattered into holographic fragments.

Dave took a step back. His field was empty. He had no cards in his hand.

_And now Peter has three incredibly good monsters on his field._ Dave glowered at them. The angel and dragon hovered behind his opponent while the Gardna kneeled protectively in front.

_Dave's good, but I don't think even_ he's _good enough to get out of a situation like this,_ Josh thought.

"Well, I think we all know what the next step is from here," Peter said. "Dark Armed Dragon, Twilight Angel – Attack directly!"

Dark Armed Dragon rose from its current vantage, casting a massive shadow over the rooftop. When it finally loomed over Dave, the dragon let out a burst of black flames that struck him dead-on. [Dave LP: (9850 - 7050)]

As he recovered from the blast, Twilight Angel immediately dove in from overhead, punching him in the gut. [Dave LP: (7050 - 5550)] Dave stumbled backwards, sagged his shoulders, and panted heavily.

"If it were any other duelist, you would've been outta Life Points by now." A face-down card materialized behind the Gardna. "You're lucky you've made it this far. But now I think you've reached the end of your rope."

_He's right._ Dave trudged back to his original spot. _Even if I draw something to defend myself, Dark Armed Dragon will just immediately destroy it._

"I'll give you one chance to surrender," Peter began. "If you call it quits now, my Deck Hackers _may_ just spare you in the future."

Dave stared at his Duel Disk.

His deck.

Everything was riding on this next card.

"So, what's it gonna be?"

Dave touched the top card.

"No." His voice exuded determination. "A duelist never quits until the last card is drawn. Even when my deck was taken from me and all hope was lost, I still believed that somehow justice would shine through."

Josh lightly smiled.

"How bold," Peter said sarcastically. "Well, it's your funeral."

"I wouldn't count me out just yet."

Dave lifted the top card with his thumb.

"It's my turn." He yanked the card out, slashing it across the air. "Draw!"

* * *

><p>"Perfect, that makes one End Phase already. Just two more and your Fallen Summoned Skull is mine." Elisa drew. "Ohhh, now this is good." She held the card close to her face. "Remember how I said you were going to help me win this duel? That begins now. I'll Tribute my two monsters!"<p>

Swirling pale streams surrounded Bubbleman and the horizontal brown card, bringing them closer together.

Quickly swiping the two cards away, she slapped the new one down. "Go, Ascended Buster Blader!"

Like a spiraling curtain, the streams disappeared, unveiling the warrior as it pried its sword off its back. Sunlight hit the back of its blue-and-gold armor, giving it a heavenly aura. (**2600**/2300)

Adam gritted his teeth. _I never thought…_

"This is one my newest additions, and I really like how it's fitting into my deck." Elisa pointed at Adam's Duel Disk. "Because it also serves as the harbinger of your defeat! For every Dragon card you have, it gains 500 ATK. And that _includes_ the Graveyard!"

Buster Blader aimed its sword at Adam, stabbing it forward like it expected him to walk into it. Black and purple waves of light flew out of the red slot on Adam's Duel Disk, despite clasping a hand on it in an attempt to contain it. He could hear his dragons groan as the Buster Blader extracted their power, empathizing with their pain. An orange hue emitted out of the sword, and devilish pleasure flashed in the warrior's eyes. (**2600 - 3600**/2300)

"Don't worry, I don't plan on finish you _too_ quickly. Like I said, I want to enjoy this duel. Now, descend upon us!"

The shadows casting on the alleyway rapidly shifted upward, shooting off the walls and crashing together into a separate warp hole. Adam could see dark purple armor tightly wrapped around the monster's legs, with a dark blue robe fluttering around its chest plate. Upon making eye contact with this creature, Adam knew he was in trouble.

The monster landed, absorbing the shadow portal with its green staff.

"My ultimate monster, Ascended Dark Magician!" (**2500**/2100)

"How _dare_ you use Yugi Muto's best card!" Adam screamed. "_Especially_ after cheating to get it out."

"Oh, please. I happen to know you took our father's Fallen Blue-Eyes White Dragon card before you ran off. Besides, I have no reason not to use a card I like."

The magician nodded in agreement.

Adam growled.

"Anyway, I'm not done." Elisa slid another card in. "I'll use Fusion Recovery to retrieve the Polymerization in my Graveyard, as well as one Fusion Material Monster."

Two cards ejected out, with Burstinatrix on top. Elisa slipped her fingers underneath it to grab the Spell Card.

"No reason to delay it any longer – I fuse my Dark Magician with my Buster Blader together to summon the strongest Spellcaster in the game!"

Both the magician and the warrior raised their weapons, clanging them together in an 'X' shape. The collision created a new portal, expanding until they were both consumed. Adam planted his feet into the floor as a gurgling sound echoed throughout the alleyway.

The first thing he saw was a black multi-edged blade covered in blue-green beads. It slashed its way through the portal, as if it were forcing it to open wider, and continued further out, revealing its wielder's hand.

The creature that stepped out was indeed the Dark Magician, but its armor had become a night-sky black, lined with golden edges that held the pieces together. The monster flung its arm upward; the weapon in its hand twirled around its wrist before returning into its grasp, seemingly causing the portal behind it to shimmer and sparkle as it closed.

"The Dark Paladin!" (**2900**/2400) Elisa casted her hand into the air. "This card has the powers of both Dark Magician and Buster Blader, and _so_ much more!"

Dark Paladin slashed its weapon at the ground, sending a whip-like sonic wave jetting forward. Adam barely had the chance to breathe before it jammed into his Duel Disk, ripping out the spirits of both his Fallen dragons. They cringed and screamed, helpless as the paladin drained them of their energy. Soon their cries were reduced to nothing more than whimpers that faded as quickly as their images.

Adam let out a hollow, shaken gasp.

The paladin carelessly pulled its sword back, checking it to see if it had been scratched. (**2900 - 3900**/2400)

"And now that that's over with, I'd say it's time to attack!"

Dark Paladin lifted its blade toward the sky, gathering black streams of energy from beyond. Adam clenched his teeth. The energy focused onto the tip, sparking around it like electricity.

With all its strength, it flung the blade into the ground, slashing the energy into numerous streaks of lightning. As it traveled towards Adam, the lightning converged into a single point, aiming directly towards his torso. But, at the last second, it vanished in a spiraling portal, closing up as quickly as it opened.

"You really think I was gonna let a direct hit go through?" He cocked his wrist to the right, presenting the activated Trap.

"Hmph, Negate Attack," Elisa remarked smugly. "Ah well, not like I could've finished you here anyway." She twirled her finger in his direction. "Your turn."

Adam worriedly looked to his deck, placing two fingers on top to draw. _I need something good, otherwise this is it._

He drew, flipping the card over with his thumb.

Adam frowned.

"Something wrong, Adam?"

Adam brought his arm closer. "I set one card face-down."

He slid the drawn card in.

"Now rise, Fallen Hero Sparkman!"

In the same manner that Dark Paladin's lightning was absorbed, Sparkman's lightning appeared, striking the ground at the half-way point between Adam and the paladin. A brilliant wave of sparkles flushed upward like a curtain, vanishing to reveal the crouching hero. (1600/**1400**)

"With that, I'll end my turn."

Elisa smiled, admiring Sparkman. "I've always wondered why you liked the Fallen Heroes so much. Now I think I get it. You see yourself as a big, strong hero, but you're just a regular little boy who just wants to pretend that he's the resident badass by acting tough in front of a crowd."

When Adam gave no reaction, she continued.

"You always were very smart, but never mature. I mean, cheating _just_ to get one step ahead of us? What were you going to do after you stopped us there? Run away again?"

Adam's top lip twitched slightly, but he suppressed his boiling anger by curling his fingers.

"Face it Adam, you may have won the battle, but you will _never_ win the war. Especially with that pathetic deck of yours. I bet you even had to steal cards from strangers in order to make it even remotely usable."

Adam tossed his arms backward in rage. "Just shut up and draw!"

"I can't even begin to think how empty you must feel, knowing that all your efforts are in vain. But…" Elisa laughed softly. "… if you insist."

She drew.

A black orb descended from above, expanding as it fell. The air became charged. Blue static flexed outward, growing more violent and intense the closer it got to the ground. Adam's composure went from belligerent to awe-struck.

"It's the third turn since Void Within was activated, which means _your_ Summoned Skull becomes _mine_!"Elisa's laughter became louder as the static wisped past her face. "_This_ is your perfect defeat, Adam. With just two cards, I've turned everything you had against you!"

A pair of claws emerged from the ever-expanding orb, ripping it apart like it was forcing a doorway open. It shredded harder, drawing the static to it the more it strained. The demonic creature lunged out of its prison, scraping its claws against the ground, shoulder-to-shoulder alongside the Dark Paladin. (**2500**/1200)

"No…" the word barely escaped Adam's throat.

He felt something crawling up from his stomach, gripping and squeezing his heart, trying to drag it down. He knew it was there all along, but never wanted to admit until now.

He was afraid.

* * *

><p>Dave waited a few beats before bringing the card back to eye-level. This was it. If he drew the wrong card, it was game over.<p>

_Come on Dave,_ Josh thought. He gulped. _You got this._

Dave held the card up; its image bulging into his sight.

"Well?" Peter asked impatiently. "It's not like you can actually make a comeback from here."

"That's where you're wrong." Dave grinned. "Ye of little faith." He flipped the card over. "I activate Pot of Avarice!"

"Pot of wha–"

"This is a card I purchased from an old friend, and now it's proved to be worth every penny." Dave shoved it into his Duel Disk. "In order to play it, I have to have at least five monsters in my Graveyard. And thanks to you, I have _six_."

Peter visibly gritted his teeth.

The five monsters ejected out of his Duel Disk one at a time, each appearing in the form of a translucent figure as Dave called their names.

"So now I'll shuffle Luster Dragon, Dark Blade, Black Luster Guard, Millennium Shield, _and_ Gearfried the Iron Knight into my Deck in order to draw two cards."

The five monsters shimmered into sparkling lights. Dave slapped their cards on top of his deck before shuffling them in with care.

"So what? You got an extra draw. That's not gonna help you in the end."

"We'll see about that." Dave clicked his deck back into place. "I can think of at least one card that can turn this around."

_Of course,_ he thought. _With those five monsters back in my deck, the chances of me drawing it are lower than before._

"Whatever. Just hurry up and draw."

"If you insist!" Dave ripped out the first card. _Shit._

_You got this Dave!_ Josh closed his eyes. _I _know _you got this!_

_Come on deck..._ Dave put his entire hand on top of what he knew to be his final card.

Time seemed to slow as he drew; the single motion felt as if the sun had blotted out the sky.

Peter and Josh held their breath.

"Peter, you were right," Dave said. His eyes were now covered by the shadow casted by his hat's rim. "I am lucky that I made it this far..."

Josh's heart sank. "Dave…"

"But it seems that my luck hasn't run out yet!" He thrust the card forward, stabbing its image in Peter's face. "Premature Burial!"

Peter glowered at him. "Damn you…" His eyes twitched.

"All I have to do is pay 800 of my Life Points –" [Dave LP: (5550 - 4750)] "– and my Black Luster Soldier will stand once more!"

Josh grinned wider than ever as the ghostly figure leapt out of the ground. _I knew you could do it!_

The soldier's body was now covered in a green ectoplasmic glow, which dissipated once it swung its sword. At that moment, its body solidified, and the defiant soldier shouted a war-cry stronger than any ever heard before.

It had evaded death once again. (**3000**/2500)

"Now, Black Luster Soldier – slay his dragon! Chaos Blade Strike!"

Black Luster Soldier charged ahead; its pony-tail flailing around behind it as it went. The dragon poised for battle when the soldier drew close, but Peter still stood between the two.

"Nice try, but this is as far as you go! I activate my Trap Card, Twist of Fate!"

Before the soldier even made it past Twilight Gardna, a black and white aura ensnared it, dragging it onto its knees. It struggled to pull its sword upward, but the aura's power intensified gravity, which resulted in sword clanging back onto the ground.

Dave stammered. "No!"

"This is how it works," Peter began. "First, it attaches to a monster on the field as an Equip Card. Then, one of two effects activates, each of which has a fifty-fifty chance of going off. If the dark aura takes hold, then your monster's power will double. If the light aura takes hold, then your monster's power will become zero."

"So you're gonna gamble it all right here," Josh said.

"Yes." He nodded. "Although this time, I believe luck will side with me."

The black and white auras spread over Black Luster Soldier's figure, each washing over the other, struggling for control. The pattern continued endlessly, all while Black Luster Soldier sat with its palms bracing the ground.

After what seemed like an eternity, the white aura prevailed. It tightened against Black Luster Soldier's body as it groaned. Its face became pale and drained. (**3000 - 0**/2500 - 0)

"No…" Josh's heart sank once again.

"Keh, what did I tell you?" Peter waved his arm. "Dark Armed Dragon, finish it off!"

The dragon dove over its master, lunging at the now-ill soldier.

The soldier barely had the strength to look up.

Peter snickered. "Too bad, looks like you couldn't stop me after all."

"Wrong again!" Dave flashed the sole card he held. "From my hand, I activate the Tailor of the Fickle!"

Peter nearly fell over backwards. "What the f–"

"When this card activates I can take the effect of your Twist of Fate and transfer it to your very own Dark Armed Dragon!"

As the dragon heaved its claws, the pale aura flung off the soldier and wrapped itself around dragon's arm. Although it tried hard to shake it off, all this did was spread it quicker. Soon the dragon took on the same sickly-pale color that soldier once had. (**2800 - 0**/1000 - 0)

Taking advantage of the situation, the soldier quickly rose to its feet. (**0 - 3000**/0 - 2500) It used its sudden burst of strength to fling its sword upward, cutting the dragon's head off in one strong blow.

The dragon evaporated in a bright bath of light.

Josh hadn't realized how heavily he was breathing until now. _My god, I thought he was a goner._

"I… don't believe it," an exasperated Peter said. [Peter LP: (5800 - 2800)]

Remnants of the dragon's shadow seeped into the floor, crawling desperately toward the Gardna. (0/**3900 - 4600**) Peter continuously looked back and forth between it and the angel, mouth agape the entire time.

"You better believe it." Dave held up his empty hands. "Take a look – neither of us have any cards in our hands, only this time _I'm_ the one with the advantage."

Peter's expression became awe-struck as he stared at his palms. His eyes trailed to his deck.

He could feel the top card calling out to him.

"I respect you as a duelist, Peter, but a crime is a crime and I have a duty to take your organization down," Dave said. "If you resign from the Deck Hackers now and give yourself up to the police, you may have a worth-while future."

"Oh _please_!" Peter slapped his hand on top of his deck. "Like I'd _ever_ give up my position as the Master's right hand man!"

"Right hand man?!" Josh repeated aloud. _I never would've thought he was that high up!_

"Stop trying to act all high-and-mighty just because you countered all of my plays." He dug his fingers into the top card. "There's no denying that you're good – you're the first and only duelist to _ever_ defeat me in a duel – but don't think for a second that you're stronger than me.

"I held back during the tournament because I knew no one could beat me. Then you came along and ruined everything. But that makes no difference now." Peter's blood-stained eyes tensed. "'Cause now I have a new mission, and the first phase of involves swatting you like a fly."

"Look," Dave stated sternly. "I don't know what your team is planning, but there's no way you can find any kind of moral healing by staying with them."

"Moral healing, _ha_! I don't care about others at this point." A small, malicious grin grew. "I just want to see the world on fire."

Dave blinked. "What…"

"I'll tell you the truth – I've thoroughly enjoyed this duel from the beginning. But I'm pressed for time, so I'll have to end this quickly. And if this next card is what I think it is…"

He nodded, gesturing towards his deck again.

"…then we'll be able to start over with a clean slate."

Dave and Josh watched on as Peter closed his eyes.

_Yes… I feel your rage… _He pulled the card out with gentle, tender care.

He opened his eyes again. "This is your end." He flipped the card over, holding it towards the clouds. "The monsters you've dealt with before are mere pawns compared to the power of this mythical card!"

Dave started to question him when Twilight Gardna's shields started to shine violently. With explosive force, two spirits barged their back into the physical world – the pale spirit of Archlord Seraphii and the black spirit of Darklord Desire – leaving the man dizzied and weak. (0/**4600 - 2800**) The two spirits dashed towards the now-darkening sky, transforming into streams of pure energy as traveled.

"Wha… what is this?" Josh whispered.

Peter brought his arm behind him, giving the angels a clean shot to the card. "Light and dark, good and evil, heaven and hell, all fused into this one powerful creature!"

The two angels dove downward like meteors, crashing into the card at full force. Peter swung his arm around; black and white mist followed as he moved the card.

"It's time!" He slapped it onto his Duel Disk; the electronic scanner glared over panel with blinding light. It continued to glow until it engulfed the entire device. "Behold the embodiment of Armageddon! Chaos Emperor Dragon – Envoy of the End!"

A pale veil flowed upward, creating a barrier that rained over every corner of the rooftop. The winds picked up, pushing everyone towards the elevator. Dave planted his feet against the ground, grabbing his hat tightly. The soldier stabbed its sword into the ground and braced near it to prevent itself from skidding.

Twilight Angel landed alongside Twilight Gardna and joined it in bowing as the sky started to darken. The figure of an enormous armored dragon slowly descended from beyond, finally crashing through the veil's barrier with wings. Dave shielded his eyes as the barrier came down on him, still trying to get a better view of his new enemy.

The dragon itself was green, but its silver armor covered its whole body. The sunlight casting onto it created an optical illusion; a deep purple aura outlined the fearsome monster, and the orange glow of its demonic eyes told of its lust for power. (**3000**/2500)

Dave could hardly speak. He had heard of this card before, but had never even seen a picture of it until now.

"With this card, I am unstoppable!" Peter shouted aimlessly.

"Dave, what is that thing?" Josh asked cautiously.

Dave never looked away. "It's the strongest card in the game…"

"Correct. This card is so rare that it's often regarded as a legend amongst duelists." Peter touched the card softly. "I was unfortunate enough to get it for my thirteenth birthday."

"Unfortunate?"

A grave expression fell over Peter's face. He slid the card off its platform, presenting it to the two. Its top-right corner (where the attribute should've been) was missing, and the adjacent parts of its picture were smeared by an ash-gray stain.

"This card was the source of both my happiness and my pain." He put it back carefully. "But now I'll share that pain – with _you_!"

Chaos Emperor Dragon reeled its head back; its unusually humane hair waved spastically in the wind as it spread its wings and gave a mighty roar.

"Peter, wait –"

"I activate Chaos Emperor Dragon's effect! By paying 1000 of my Life Points –" [Peter LP: (2800 - 1800)] " – I can take everything we have and burn it to the ground. Then, for every card I got rid of, you'll take 300 points of damage!"

The dragon's deep purple aura returned; it expanded its wings further, jetting the aura out like comets.

Twilight Gardna and Twilight Angel both remained in their bowing positions, submissively waiting until the aura smashed through their backs. Black Luster Soldier jumped away before three aura comets crashed into its ground-bound sword; two more comets chased after it, but it continued to dodge.

Josh leapt to the side as more comets flew past.

"Peter, what's the meaning of this!" Dave shouted through the storm of chaos. "You haven't explained anything to us at all!"

Black Luster Soldier threw its shield at an on-coming comet, which melted the metal object instantaneously. Another batch rushed in, but the soldier ducked and the comets crashed into the Premature Burial card instead.

"It doesn't matter if I explain!" Peter exclaimed boldly. His hair and blazer fluttered wildly in the wind. "You're just a duelist – I'm _so_ much more!"

Chaos Emperor Dragon slashed its claws at the floor; the aura followed, creating a series of shockwaves that caused the dragon to self-destruct. Although the soldier was able to avoid another three aura comets, there was no possible way to dodge this seismic blast. The soldier exploded before it even knew what hit it.

Dave crossed his arms in front of his face, shielding himself from the blow. [Dave LP: (4750 - 3250)]

"There…" Peter allowed himself a small chuckle. "A clean slate."

"You alright?" Josh asked, running over to Dave.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Dave readjusted his hat. "I guess we're on equal ground now."

He lifted his hand to draw.

An undulating whine broke his train of thought, drilling its way into his eardrums. Josh ran back to the ledge to see what was happening; two police cars rushed from one end of the street to the other and continued until they were out of view, sirens ablazing the whole time.

"Well, I guess that's my cue." Peter disarmed his Duel Disk.

"What? You're leaving?!" Dave shouted, perplexed.

"Sadly, yes. The 'first part' of my mission was just to wait until they could figure out where that bum was."

"Bum?"

Peter held his hand to his ear, speaking into his pinky as if it were a phone. "Hello, my name is Peter Grail. I'm calling to report of a suspicious man who I believe is carrying some illegal hardware. Tall man, black leather jacket, gray jeans, has spikey-black hair with a red strand by his nose."

Josh gasped. "Adam…"

"Yep." He brought his hand to his side. "And all I had to do was distract you guys until they got their act together and tracked him down."

Dave's veins popped. "You bastard, you tricked us!"

"Hey, don't blame me!" Peter lifted his Duel Disk-equipped arm. "I'm just doing my job."

"Adam's innocent!" Josh yelled, returning to Dave's side. "You'll never get away with this!"

"Sorry, but Adam's not as innocent as you think he is. But now that we've finally got him out of our way, no one can oppose us." Peter shrugged condescendingly. "Not even you."

They started to yell again, but stopped when Peter gave a loud sigh.

"Don't worry, I'm not done with you two yet. _Especially_ you, Dave." Peter slipped a card out his deck. "But until we meet again, here's a going-away present!" He threw the card at them. "Think fast!"

Dave and Josh instinctively shot their Duel Disk-equipped arms up to protect their faces; the card bounced off Dave's Disk and fell onto the floor in front of them.

When they looked back up, Peter was standing on the ledge. "Until next time." He hopped backwards, falling with arms outstretched.

Dave immediately ran to him, but by the time he reached the ledge Peter was already gone.

"Damnit," Dave cursed. "I can't believe we were so stupid."

Josh spotted the card that Peter threw; picked it up. It depicted a black crow flying out a strange portal. The bird's body seemed to be heavily mechanized; its left eye, wing, and torso were all covered in strange equipment.

Josh slid the card into his sweatshirt pocket when Dave ran back to him.

"We have to hurry."

* * *

><p>"The powers of both of your favorite dragons rest in my Dark Paladin, and your Fallen Summoned Skull betrayed you just the same way you betrayed us," Elisa said solemnly. "I can't even think of a better way to go down." She raised a finger, directing the horned demon. "Fallen Summoned Skull, eradicate his Fallen Hero Sparkman!"<p>

The demon cupped its claws together, channeling all of its power in this one strike. Lightning burst from its hands in an explosion of electricity, creating a small windstorm that made Elisa's hair to dance around madly.

As Adam's leather sleeves clenched against his skin, he slammed his hand down on a button, causing his face-down card to rise.

"I play Book of Eclipse!" He yelled desperately; the lone strand of red hair fluttering in front his face like a wind-shield wiper.

Just as the card became perpendicular to the ground, a dark mist surrounded it, eating it away like termites. In a mixture of puzzlement and horror, Adam turned to the field. Dark Paladin held its blade close to Summoned Skull's wing, pointing it at the activated card. The paladin stood with the composure of a sniper.

"I thought you would use that card. Luckily, Dark Paladin's discard effect negates it," Elisa said, disappointed. "So I was right, you _do_ steal to improve your deck. I saw you use it in that last duel against that idiotic lackey."

Sparkman stood up from its kneeling position, catching the lightning with its palms. Despite this, it was too powerful – the lightning pierced straight through, overpowering the hero and vaporizing it instantly.

Adam stepped back; a look of horror momentarily flashed on his face. [Adam LP: (5000 - 3900)]

"One attack left, Adam," Elisa said. "One attack left, and this duel is over."

"It doesn't matter," Adam retorted, struggling to keep his voice steady. "I'll still find a way to stop you _and_ that bastard."

"No, you won't. Face it – you needed a miracle, and that miracle never came." Elisa shook her head.

Dark Paladin raised its staff.

Adam's veins strained; his heartbeat became irregular.

"You thought you could abandon your family so you could run off and play hero? You're a brat!" Her voice cracked with rage. "Your façade as the immovable iron wall no longer works, Adam! The second you got backed into a corner, you revealed who you really were – who you've always been!"

Elisa belligerently flung her hands into fists. Adam reflexively backed up. A sharp jolt struck his heart as his spine smacked the brick wall.

The shadows loomed over him mockingly.

"It's sad," Elisa whispered, lowering her head. "To think that my only brother would be the number one person on our hit list."

Adam panted, still wary of Elisa's fists.

She glared at him again. "I never wanted this, but you gave us no choice. Be glad _I'm_ the one in charge of disposing you. At least this way, you get to live."

_ Wh-What…?_ Adam's pupils shook. "Elisa –"

"Save it!" She cast her arm back. "Dark Paladin, finish this!"

Black energy gathered at the end of the paladin's staff, wildly sparking as if it had a life of its own. In one fluid motion, Dark Paladin flung its own body down, sending a massive black shockwave Adam's way.

He didn't bother to put his hands up to block; instead, he closed his eyes, accepting the blow.

[Adam LP: (3900 - 0)]

Adam fell to his knees, crashing his hands onto the dirt. The holograms dematerialized, and Elisa carelessly tossed the Fallen Summoned Skull card to him.

It landed inches from his fingertips, though its image was lost in the darkness.

"This is goodbye, Adam," Elisa stated somberly. "If you had stayed, things might've been different, but I guess we can't change the past now."

She turned her back to him.

"It's too bad. You had so much potential."

Adam stayed in his crouched position. He tried hard to ignore her words, but his ears absorbed them regardless. In a desperate attempt to distract himself, he lightly touched the card on the floor. It was now covered in dirt, and the top-right corner was damaged. He slowly looked up, and the red strand of hair fell over his left eye.

Elisa was gone.

Both elated and dejected, Adam weakly rose to his feet and began a slow stride to the other end of the alleyway. The light attacked his figure as he walked out of the shadows, as if it were trying to chain him down. He squinted, shielding his eyes with his Duel Disk-equipped arm. This did nothing – he was still blinded by the sun, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop it from flooding into his sight.

Adam stopped at the end of the sidewalk, though he felt as if he had wandered into an abyss. He lowered his arm, forcing himself to wait until his vision recovered, but his other senses still told him what was near.

He could hear sirens whining like a newborn baby, crying for its parents to come and help it. They drew closer and closer until they became almost deafening. By the time they stopped, his vision had come back into focus.

The first thing he saw was a gun aimed at his chest.

"Freeze," Nathan said. "Hands where I can see them."

Adam mechanically held up his arms, allowing two police officers to grapple and twist them behind his back. He groaned, but didn't resist.

"You're under arrest." Nathan lowered his gun.

The click of handcuffs seemingly set a seal over Adam's life. The officers led him to a car, where they shoved him in the back and slammed the door shut.

From the rooftops, a pair of black sparrows watched the whole ordeal. They cawed as the group drove away, staring at them with beady little eyes.

Once they left, the birds took to the skies, flying high over the city. The sun began to descend, transforming the azure sky into an orangey hue. The sparrows flapped their wings furiously, hurrying back to their nests. They knew they had to find shelter soon, before the day was overthrown by night.

* * *

><p>Card Analyzer activated…<p>

Accessing Card Database… Searching for Card Data …

… Data Found:

**Twilight Gardna**

[Dark]

[Warrior/Effect]

(0/?)

This card is also treated as a LIGHT monster. When this card is summoned: it is changed to Defense Position. The original DEF of this card is equal to the combined levels of every LIGHT and DARK monster in your Graveyard x 100.

**Void Within**

[Trap]

Banish 1 DARK monster on the field; draw 1 card. During the 3rd End Phase after activation, if since activation of this card you drew no cards by card effect (except by "Void Within"): you can Special Summon the DARK Monster banished by this card.

_[Create to The Quiff from Pojo for the creation of this card]_

**Twist of Fate**

Normal Trap

This card is treated as an Equip Spell Card after activation. When this card is destroyed, you can discard 1 card from your hand to add 1 "Twist of Fate" from your Graveyard. After activation, toss a coin:

* Heads: The ATK and DEF of the equipped monster becomes 0.

* Tails: The ATK and DEF of the equipped monster is doubled.

_[Create to Suibon from Pojo for the creation of this card]_


End file.
